Conflict of Interest
by Ushuaia1
Summary: Sequel to What if. Kenny and Max are enjoying life together, but the past has a way of sneaking up on you.
1. Default Chapter

"Pregnant?" Maxine Stewart Lacos asked Jill Brock dumbfounded. "You mean with a baby?"

"No, with a goat," Jill replied trying not to laugh at Max's shocked expression, "Although in this town that might not be so strange. Of course a baby."

Utterly speechless, Max placed her hand on her flat abdomen and thought of the life she and Kenny had created in there. A baby, she thought, we're having a baby. We haven't really talked about it, and we could barely made it down the aisle.

"A baby?" Max said numbly. "Wow."

"You weren't expecting this?" Jill asked carefully to her shell shocked friend, thinking how they had been married for almost two years. "The nausea, tiredness, and missing period didn't give you any hints?"

"I've been busy," Max replied defensively, coming around. "Oh, I don't know. We weren't planning on this right away, although Kenny once told me he wanted to have six kids. I nearly fell over when he said that. Pregnant."

"About six weeks," Jill concluded looking at her chart. "I want to see you in a few weeks, and please go see your gynecologist. Oh and congratulations."

Max slid off the table, as the realization that she was having a baby set in. "Is there anything I should do? I'm about as maternal as that plant, and that's probably pushing it."

"You're young, healthy, so get plenty of rest, and we'll schedule a sonogram in a few weeks," Jill said as she watched a wide smile spread over Max's face. "Go tell Kenny, if he wants six this is probably a good start."

Knowing that Kenny had a shift until seven, Max began to plan for later.

**111111111111111**

Taking one last appraising look in the mirror, Max pulled the brush through her long red hair one more time. The green sundress hugged her waist and fell to her knees. Sexy, she thought, but not too much. Hearing the car in the driveway, she tossed her brush by the sink, and ran barefoot downstairs.

"Well, look at you," he said giving her an appreciative look, and noticing the scatter of pots and pans around their kitchen. "Did you cook?"

"Very successfully, I think I'm getting the hand of this domestic thing," Max replied grinning, giddy with the news. "I didn't burn anything, and it even tastes decent."

Kenny studied his wife for a moment, and noticed the excited glint in her eye. He knew she wouldn't be wearing that dress, and be standing there looking like the naughty girl next store if she wasn't up to something. "Max? What's going on?"

She walked slowly up to him, her dress rustling around her legs. As he watched her approach he wondered how after knowing her for almost 10 years why he still felt the same desire for this woman that he did when she first smiled at him. She tossed her hair back, and kissed him softly."I can't cook dinner, and get dressed up for my husband without him thinking I'm up to something?"

"I know you better then that," Kenny replied placing his hands around her waist. "You're driving me nuts in this dress by the way, and if you don't tell me now, you probably won't get a chance for awhile."

Max grinned wickedly at him, tempted to take him up on his offer. "Well, that's not what I had planned, but… if you want to work up an appetite…"

Kenny leaned in, kissed her again, and pulled her close to him. Max sunk into his arms, forgetting about what she wanted to tell him. When he pulled away, she looked up, confused. He looked at her expectantly, and Max tried to regain some of her composure. Feeling a little off kilter by the news that she was pregnant, and wanting to tease him a bit, she stepped back too.

"How was it today?" she asked trying to sound casual. "Anything exciting happen in Rome?"

"No," he replied still wondering what she was up to. "I think we only get the interesting cases when you're in. You?"

Max shrugged. "Jill called about my physical, so I stopped by to see her. Then some errands, did you know the only three things in our refrigerator were beer, left over pizza, and a hunk of cheese?"

"Max?" Kenny began carefully not wanting to push her. "Was there anything wrong? I mean if Jill called you back in… are you all right?"

She turned to face him again, with a big grin on her face. As much as she wanted to poke at him, Max wanted to tell him more. She wanted to see the expression on his face when she told him they we're going to be parents in eight months.

"Max?" he asked again nervously. "You'd tell me right? Honey?"

"Kenny, I'm not dying," she replied, and taking his hand in hers. "But I've been feeling a little off lately, and with the way things have gone in the past few years… well you know. She got the blood tests back, and well, I'm pregnant."

Kenny stared at his radiant wife, and was numb from the shock as he looked at her. "We're having a baby?"

Max nodded, and noted how he paled when she said it. "Ah, do you want to sit?"

Kenny nodded, as he sunk into a chair trying to grasp what Max had just told him. He held out his hand to her, and pulled her into his lap. "You're serious? You and me? A baby?"

Max nodded again, as he cautiously put his hand on her stomach, and she rested her head on his shoulder. "I'm not sure you can feel anything in there yet. It's supposedly as small as a pencil eraser."

He looked up at her then and she saw that some of the shock had begun to wear off. "It's going to get bigger though. I don't know what scared me more, the thought of you dying or pregnant."

"Jill told me, and I asked if she meant with a baby," Max replied. "Believe me, I wasn't expecting this, but I'm starting to get used to the idea."

Kenny watched her for a second, and her enthusiasm was contagious. He felt some of his own surprise wear off, and he pulled her closer to him. "You're going to be a great mom."

He kissed her, and tugged her closer to himself. The idea of having a baby, even with Max, was wild Kenny thought. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and tilted her head back to deepen the kiss. He rested his hand on her still flat stomach, and realized how far they had actually come.

**111111111111111**

"Oh, god. I'm going to be sick," Max groaned the next morning jumping up from bed and dashing to the bathroom. Sticking her head in the toilet, she felt all of dinner come up, and then some. Gagging, she spit out the rest, and leaned up against the wall, feeling her stomach still jumping around. "Shit."

Kenny had watched her fly out of bed, and threw the covers back after he heard her finish. Not knowing how she would react, he poked his head in cautiously and saw her leaning against the wall with her head between her legs. "Max? Everything alright?"

She lifted her head and smiled weakly. "Yeah. It just caught me off guard, and it's something I'll have to get used to."

"Maybe we should keep a bucket by your side of the bed," Kenny quipped, as he helped her to her feet. "And some paper towels."

"Oh, you're hilarious," she shot back, wiping her face. "How long is morning sickness supposed to last?"

Kenny shrugged. "We should go get a book or something on this. Do we know anything about kids?"

"Not really," Max agreed. "I put a few diapers on Cara backwards, and my sister's kids scream a lot. You haven't had the pleasure of meeting them yet."

"You sure you can work today? You look a little green," Kenny asked her.

"I'll be fine," Max insisted. "I've been through worse you know. I feel better, really, I'm just not used to throwing up first thing in the morning. I think I'll skip breakfast though."

**111111111111111**

Max hid her amusement of her new partner well, better then his obvious appreciation of her. Oh, to be 23 again, she thought ,looking at young Pete Hunter, who she had been partnered with since she and Kenny had gotten married. He won't be staring so much in a few months, and as much as it killed her to admit it, his attention did flatter her some. Wisely, she kept this from Kenny.

"It's kind of slow out here today," Pete said interrupting her thoughts. "Think we're going to see any action?"

"It is Rome," Max replied indulgently. "Weird things happen here."

"Not recently," he grumbled. "When I was assigned here, all I heard about was people combusting, elephants, kitchen appliances, and serial killers. Now there is nothing."

Max thought back the tumultuous last year of Danny killing and raping all those women, and chose her next words carefully. "It means we're doing something right Pete."

"Yeah, but I want to see some action."

Max tried not to groan at his youthful enthusiasm, but she was relishing in the peace of late. Maybe I'm getting old, she thought, I'm 31,almost 32, married and pregnant. Actually I kind of want to shout it from the rooftop. "Stick around and you will. Trust me Pete, this place attracts all kinds."

Pete grumbled something under his breath, and the radio cackled to life. He grabbed it in triumph, as Max flipped on the siren and lights.

**111111111111111**

Pregnant or not, Max vowed not to throw up at the sight of the body in front of her. Decapitated and dissected by an angry housewife with a butcher knife, the corpse more closely resembled mangled meat then a human being.

"Take him," Jimmy instructed Carter, and motioning her over. "Autopsy what you can. Max, Skeeter took the wife back to the station. Go question her, and Wambaugh is going to meet her there. Take Pete, and put the fear of God in her. I'll be there soon."

"Sure," she agreed, seeing Pete's green face. "C'mon, you wanted something, Pete, let's go."

Pete watched the body being loaded into the medical van, and wearily climbed back into the squad car. Max sympathized with him, but didn't let it show. He liked to keep him emotions in check and not express much, and she didn't really know him well enough to have him open up. Heading back to the station in silence, she sighed inwardly, and wondered what could have possibly driven this woman to butcher her husband like that.

Max and Wambaugh exchanged a look as he came out of the interrogation room after speaking to his client. The thick walls muffled the screams some, but Max dreaded going in to all that noise.

"I think this one is a few fries short of a happy meal," Skeeter said joining them. "You ready to go back in?"

"She won't answer anything without me," Wambaugh replied. "No coercion, she's obviously not in her right mind.""

"Fine," Max said. "I'm used to that by now."

Filing into the room, the three tried not to wince at the screams.

"Gina," Wambaugh soothed. "You don't have to tell them anything. As your attorney, don't answer anything without me present."

Gina lifted her head to study the people in front of her. She leapt up from her seat, her handcuffs clinking together as she and Max made eye contact. Stumbling away from Wambaugh, she gasped as Max dropped the recorder on the floor.

"You," Gina gasped. "You're a cop? Why didn't you ever say that? Oh, god, that's why you were there? No one raped you! You were there to get information!"

"Gina," Max said recognizing the woman from the counseling group she went to after Danny had kidnapped and raped her last year. Oh shit, she thought. "Gina."

"You know her?" Skeeter asked softly from behind her. "Max?"

She turned from Gina's angry twisted face, and nodded slightly. "Yeah. Can we go outside for a second?"

"Don't do anything," Skeeter told Wambaugh. "We'll be right back."

"From the counseling group," Max blurted out as soon as he closed the door. "Shit, you know what happened to her? I can't question her and be objective in there."

"She was raped?" Skeeter asked, not wanting to open a touchy subject for her.

Max was torn, not wanting to betray the confidentiality of group, but her duty as a police officer weighing heavily on her mind. She honestly didn't know where she would be without their support, and Max knew she would be devastated if any of them blabbed about what she had said. They had helped her put her life back together. Not knowing the right thing to do, she shook her head as Jimmy came in. Exchanging a look with Skeeter, Max knew she had to tell him.

"Wambaugh's in with her," Skeeter said. "But we might have a problem."

"Not a surprise," Jimmy said under his breath studying the two deputies. "Care to enlighten me?"

Max, dreading this, replied. "Jimmy, I know her. From counseling."

She heard his sharp intake of breath and he repeated Skeeter's question. "Was she raped?"

"I can't tell you. It's all confidential, and I can't do that to her," Max replied steadily, thinking back to Gina's story. "Please don't ask me too."

Jimmy saw the conflict in her eyes, and thought to how he and Jill had argued over the subject of confidentiality. Now he was getting it from Max, so responded carefully. "You have a duty as a police officer, Maxine. This woman just killed her husband, and I won't have you protecting her. If he hurt her in any way, you have a duty to report it."

She held his gaze, and knew what he was doing. "I heard a lot of women tell about their ordeals last year. Would you like a report on all of them, or just the ones that kill people?"

"You're coming in for the interrogation," Jimmy replied. "She probably feels comfortable talking to you at least."

"Fine," Max said, doubting that. "Let's go."

"My office, when we're done." Jimmy said to her, heading in.

Skeeter gave her a sympathetic smile as they followed him, and Max wondered why life just couldn't stay simple.

"I'm not telling you anything," Gina insisted. "I don't need my lawyer to tell me that either. You cops, you don't care about me."

"Gina," Max broke in feeling the frustration in the room. "Just tell them, please. We're trying to help."

Gina glared at her. "Like you know how I feel? I can't believe that a sheriffs department would send someone into a support group."  
Max tried not to feel insulted by Gina's retort, as Jimmy cut in. "That's not what happened, and if you don't want to talk, we'll just send you back to your cell."

"Fine," she snapped, wrapping her arms around her body. "I don't care."

Skeeter led her away, as Jimmy beckoned Max into his office.

Max tried not to squirm under Jimmy's gaze, and she could tell he was trying to hide his frustration from her. Part of her wanted to spill Gina's situation to him, thinking it might help her in the trial, but also giving her a motive for the murder of this man.

"What would you have me do?" she asked breaking the silence. "One reason women go to these groups is that they know the information doesn't leave the room. That's why I went. Jimmy, it's a great program, and the counselors help thousands of people every year. If I tell you, don't you think that might stop women from getting the help that they need?"

"Max, there is a strong possibility that she murdered this man, and she's being charged for it. We found her knife in hand over his body, and if someone raped, abused, or hurt her, it does give her a stronger motive, or a defense," Jimmy said rationally. "I understand where you're coming from, but please think about it."

"I'd offer to talk to her, but she doesn't seem to trust me that much," Max replied sadly.

"They didn't know you were a cop when you went," Jimmy asked, broaching a subject that he knew Max was reluctant to talk about.

"No. I never brought it up, maybe subconsciously I thought they might react the way she did. I knew a lot of them never press charges, and part of me wanted to drag them down here kicking and screaming. It's a hard charge to make stick, and as much as it kills me to admit it I understand why they don't report it," Max replied pausing, not sure she wanted to delve into this subject with Jimmy Especially as she barely discussed with Kenny. "I didn't want anyone to know what Danny had did to me… I felt so dirty and used. You can't know what it's like it until someone does it to you."

Jimmy studied her for a moment. "You don't want her to have to relive it?"  
"I don't want anyone to," Max conceded, knowing she was saying more then she should. "But she certainly implied some things in there."

"I want you to talk to her when she calms down," Jimmy said. "You have a relationship with her Max."

"I don't think Wambaugh would like that," Max countered. "I know nothing she tells me from now on is in confidence, but I have my doubts that she'll say anything."

"We'll try," Jimmy said, as a knock came at his office door. Kenny stuck his head in after Skeeter filled him in on the body, and said that Jimmy wanted to see him. Glancing at his wife, Kenny didn't like the tense expression on her face, but they had an agreement not to bring their personal relationship to work. Jimmy waved him in, and he settled into the chair next to Max.

"What's going on?" he asked.

Jimmy and Max exchanged a look, and filled him in on the situation.

**111111111111111**

"I can't believe you would ask me to do that," Max exclaimed to Kenny later that night. "Just like that you want me to betray her trust? How would you feel if someone decided to broadcast what I said in there? Or if it was your sister's case?"

"That's not fair," Kenny snapped. "You and Abby didn't kill anyone Max."

"Okay," Max replied. "What if instead of stabbing Danny in the shoulder, I drove that knife into his heart? Would it have been okay for the other women to tell everyone what I said?"

"Damn it, Max," Kenny said throwing his hands up in frustration. "This is different."

"How?" she asked. "Tell me how."

"You're my wife, that's why," he said. "What Danny did to you was unforgivable. Both times."

"Yeah it was," she agreed. "I would hope that the people I went to for help wouldn't spill my deepest admissions about it. I know she killed someone, but I can't do it. Kenny, they understood everything I went through that night, and I owe them more then I can tell you."

Kenny knew how stubborn she could be when she dug her heels in, and he knew that Max wouldn't tell him. Even when she was going to the group she didn't say much about it, but as the months went by Kenny saw the woman he fell in love with emerge back into the world. He was thankful for that, and wished they did the same thing for Gina.

"I want you to understand," Max said quietly sinking into the sofa cushions. "You know how I think, and this is difficult for me. Why can't things just be simple?"

Kenny sat down next to her. "You're a cop, Max, they should be."

She glared at him. "As you pointed out earlier, I'm also you're wife. I would expect some support."

He opened his mouth, but Max cut him off. "Let me make this simple for you. Forget the case, Gina, and your apparent disappointment in me. I know you, Kenny, and I'm sure I've got enough dirt to embarrass the hell out of you. I've even seen you cry. I hope you know that I wouldn't betray you like that, or anyone else. If you think I would, you don't know me at all." Max stood and paced across their living room, as she watched her husband gather his thoughts. She realized that she really didn't want to hear it right now. "I need to get some air."

She felt Kenny's eyes on her back as she wandered out onto their back porch, and part of her felt like screaming in frustration. Thinking about Gina, she settled down on the step, the cool night air feeling refreshing on her skin. Talking to Kenny sometimes was like arguing with a brick wall, Max thought, and she knew that arguing was an important staple in their relationship. Wrapping his sweatshirt tighter around her body Max felt her temper simmer down, and she saw Kenny's points. She really did, and she leaned back against the step, and didn't turn when she heard the back door open and his foot steps coming closer. He sat down next to her in silence, not really sure what to say to her.

"She's a murderer Max," Kenny said carefully. "Think about that. I know what these people did for you, but you're a cop, and a damn good one. Whatever happened to her might not even affect the case."

"I think it does," Max said her voice barely above a whisper. "I really don't want to talk about this anymore tonight. Can we just drop it for now?"

"Okay," Kenny agreed, laying his hand on top of hers. "Max, I understand what you're saying. I really do, but I don't agree with you."

"Since when do we agree?" she asked. "This kid is going to think his parents hate each other."  
"Nah," Kenny replied, thankful for the change of subject. "I love you, even when we do this. Do what you think is right okay?"

"I think that's the problem, I don't know what is," Max sighed. "I want to help her. Kenny, she's not well, at least she wasn't a year ago. She's been through a lot."

"So have you, and you haven't killed anybody. At least not anyone who wasn't a criminal."

"Yeah."

"It's getting late," Kenny said. "You want to go up?"

Max nodded. "Jimmy wants me to talk to her tomorrow, and I think I need some sleep for that."

"Don't get sick on her," he replied trying to lighten the mood, as they stood. He was rewarded with a small smile, but they both knew that they had a long way to go.


	2. Plagued

Fraught with tension, Jimmy thought as he observed Max flip through the case file. They had looked around in Gina's past, and they had found nothing to suggest that she had been abuse or raped in any way, but they all knew that meant nothing. Her prints were all over the knife, but they had no motive for her doing this. She had insisted that she had picked up the knife, and collapsed by her husband's body. Deep down Jimmy was proud of his deputy, but he knew that there was nothing to be found on this woman, and he didn't want to let a murderer back out on the streets. He knew that Max didn't want to talk to Gina, but they were running out of options and Georgia was considering subpoenaing her.

Max felt Jimmy watching her from his office, and she had been avoiding him for days. How could one day change everything so much? Going from telling Kenny I'm pregnant, then 24 hours later this. Oh, we're being civil to each other, but we're not saying anything. I would rather pick a fight with him then have this distance. At least I know that we're connecting on some level then. Knowing she couldn't avoid the inevitable, she turned to look at him and he waved her in.

"You have to talk to her," Jimmy said without preamble. "Max, she's going to walk. There is enough reasonable doubt with her statement and lack of motive to sink a ship."

"Okay," Max agreed because she knew that Gina needed help not to be put in prison.

Jimmy was surprised by her easy agreement, anticipating an uphill battle with Max, but he saw the weariness in her face and the careful way she and Kenny had avoided each other at work lately. "Problems at home?"

She shook her head. "It's like we've been ignoring the pink elephant in the room, and we're so damn polite to each other."

Recalling his own fights with Jill, he knew better then to get in the middle of this one. "Talk it out then."

Max nodded, not wanting to get into this again. "We will. With Gina though, I'm not her favorite person at the moment, but it's worth a shot."

So much drama, she thought, walking back to the cell block. It'll keep Pete entertained, Max thought wryly, although if I have to live another day with this wall that Kenny and I've built, I'll scream. We're having a baby, we should be happy right now. Haven't we earned that? Shaking off her moment of self pity, Max ventured to Gina's cell. Seeing the woman curled up in a ball on the cot, Max didn't want to exploit the relationship, but like Jimmy she didn't want to let anyone dangerous back out onto the street. Gina jerked her head up, and her mouth curled back feral expression when she saw her there.

"What do you want?" she sneered, sitting up.

Stay calm, Max told herself. "I thought you might want someone to talk to Gina. You may not trust me, but no one sent me to that group. I went because I was raped and needed help."

"Right," she replied sarcastically. "And you didn't happen to mention you're a cop?"

"That's not what we were there to talk about," Max replied softly. "It didn't matter what my job was, and I know your history Gina. I promised you and everyone else there what we said stayed in that room, and I'm not breaking that promise. Tell them what happened, please, we just what to help you."

"You want to put me in jail."

"No. You need help, and this investigation isn't just going to go away. I've worked with these people for a long time, and I know them. They care about what they do, and the victims in the case. Tell them what happened to you, with Kurt and your family," Max pleaded.

"You won't tell," Gina asked seriously.

Max shook her head. "I keep my word. All of you helped me put my life back together."

She trembled in the cell, and Max ached for her knowing what she went through. Doubt and confusion swam in her eyes, and Max prayed that she was getting through to her. Listening to Gina talk last year, she wanted to do something then, but life just seemed to spin in a different direction. Think like a cop, Max told herself, you've always been good at that. Damn these hormones.

"Gina," she asked tentatively. "Help yourself here."

"I don't want anyone to know," she whimpered, curling back into a ball on the bed. All of Max's prodding couldn't get her to speak again, and she reluctantly went back to tell Jimmy the bad news.

**222222222222222**

"You want to get something to eat?" Kenny asked a few hours later standing by his truck, both clad in jeans. He wanted nothing more then to hold her then, but for the first time in awhile he didn't know how to approach her. "You're eating for two."

"I'd like that," she said pausing and thinking a second before continuing. "I'm starving. I can't remember the last time we went out."

"We won't be able to in a few months," he replied, trying to lighten the mood.

Max smiled at him, and they slowly closed the distance between them. "Yeah, we'll be surrounded by dirty diapers."

Kenny reached out to brush her hair back, and realized that this was first time in days that they had been this close. "We said that we wouldn't let work effect our personal life."

"We were optimistic," Max replied softly. "We're not going to agree on this, and we both know it. Since when do we agree on anything? I always thought at least half of the time we were fighting anyway. You know how to push my buttons better then anyone."

"You know how to piss me off," Kenny admitted, knowing they were working their way up to the big issue. "This kid… he's getting some stubborn, opinionated parents. He doesn't know what he is in for."

"We keep saying he," Max realized then. "What if he is a she?"

Kenny shrugged. "We'll have to see. Boy, girl, who cares? As long as it's healthy, I'm happy."

"I wouldn't mind it being cute," Max tossed in smiling.

"Well if it looks anything like you, that won't be a problem," Kenny replied. "I wouldn't a mind a little girl who looked like you."

"Well, at least we agree on that," she teased, as some of the recent tension melted.

"We're going to be okay?" he asked.

"Yeah," she agreed, as they climbed into his truck. "She shouldn't go to prison, Kenny. She needs help there's something not right with her, more then I know."

"Help her then," Kenny said cautiously. "Max, Honey, give us something to work with here. Anything."

Max nodded, thinking back to the group, and the things they discussed. Looking for a loophole, she knew if anyone was a danger to themselves or anyone else that the counselors could report them. I should have done something earlier, she thought, I should have realized what was going on with her. Knowing that he was waiting for an answer, Max sighed.

"The counselors there have to report if they think if someone is a danger to themselves or anyone else," Max said slowly. "I don't know if Gina still goes to the group, but if she did they could evaluate her and give you her back story."

"You want to go check it out?" he asked.

Max nodded reluctantly, and reached for her phone to call the center. "Let's do this."

**222222222222222222222222**

"It's so good to see you again," Jen Davis said as Max and Kenny walked into the lobby. "You look wonderful."

"Thanks," Max replied, feeling guilty about being here. "It feels good to back as a visitor though."

"I was surprised to hear from you, and who is this?" Jen asked.

Max felt Kenny's arm tighten around her waist, and he knew how nervous she was. "Jen, this is my husband Kenny. Kenny this is Jen, one of the counselors here."

"What brings you back here?" she asked, "It's been over a year."  
"I know," Max replied. "But I need to tell you something and ask for a favor. Did you hear about Gina?"

"Gina," Jen replied. "She hasn't been in to see me for a few weeks. Something about a vacation I believe."

"She's in jail," Max said. "It's probably not the vacation she had planned, but Jen she's not saying anything. She killed someone, and there is enough physical evidence there to link her to it. She won't talk to me, but she needs someone. I for one don't think she should be back out in society without some kind of help, but getting a life sentence to prison isn't going to provide that."  
"How do you know all this?" Jen asked carefully, watching the two people in front of her.

Max and Kenny exchanged a look before he responded. "I work for the Rome Sheriffs Department, and my wife stopped by that day as we were bringing her in."

Max could have kicked him for omitting the rest of it, but it was too late now. Go with it, she thought, noting how he was avoiding looking at her.

"You're married to a cop," Jen asked surprised. "You never mentioned that."

"Oh, it's a recent event," Max said truthfully. "We've been friends for years, and we decided it was time to take the next step."

"You think Gina's dangerous," Jen asked. "If she killed this man, I have to agree with you. I'll evaluate her, and let the police know what I think. I know she's had a tough time, and I don't want her to be kicked around by the judicial system again."

Max felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders. "Jen. I know they would appreciate all the help they can get. And she trusts you."

**222222222222222222222222**

"What did she mean kicked around by the judicial system?" Kenny asked, as the exited the building. "Or is that one of those things that you can't talk about?"

"You think I feel good about that?" she asked. "I can't keep doing this with you."

"Hey, she let it slip, not you," Kenny replied, seeing that Max was gearing up to fight.

Max paused for a second. "She also said man. We didn't tell her that Gina killed a man, we said person. I guess it's a reasonable assumption, but we're talking about a Rome Wisconsin murder. I can't think of one time where anything reasonable happened."

"True," he said. "She's going to find out you're a cop to at some point. Later would be better."

"We probably should have been upfront with that," Max replied knowing why he kept her from saying it. "I'll just duck in back when she shows up."

"Hey, you were great in there," Kenny said honestly, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. "I know this is eating you up inside, but you gotta know that I love you."

"I love you too," she replied softly. "A year ago I'd be after this woman like a pit bull, but Kenny I don't feel right about this. Even what we did in there… these are good people."

"I'm so glad they helped you. I didn't know what to do for you then, or what to say. You still don't talk about it."

"I...It still hurts, I think it always will. You did anything I could have possibly asked for then, and I know I wasn't the easiest person to deal with."

"You still aren't."

"Thanks," she replied sarcastically. "I thought you we're going to feed me after all I'm eating for two."

"You getting those cravings yet? Pickles and ice cream or something like that?"

"If you weren't driving now," Max replied flippantly relieved that they were actually relaxed enough with each other to talk like this.

Stopping at the light, he leaned in and kissed her quickly. "You'd what?"

Grinning wickedly, she whispered in his ear.

**2222222222222222222222**

"You didn't think that she would tell you," Jill asked Jimmy as he lamented on Max's stubbornness. "She has a point, and I know she feels a lot of gratitude towards those people."

"The woman murdered her husband," Jimmy repeated. "I know where Max is coming from on this, but there is a good chance that Gina Troy is going to walk if we don't have a motive."

"Confidentiality," Jill repeated. "You've wanted me to break it so many times with my patients, and now you're asking the same of you're deputies? You're a stubborn jack ass sometimes, Jimmy, so why doesn't your department just investigate this woman instead of taking the easy way out and having Max roll over on her?"

"We have," Jimmy shot back. "We ran her prints through records, and there is no record of a Gina Troy anywhere. She just didn't exist until now. Her prints aren't on record, and her first appearance on paper was her marriage to Kurt Campbell."

"She could be running from something," Jill interjected. "It sounds like if someone hurt her, she might have been trying to disappear. She probably thinks it's better to sit in jail then to go back."

"I'm not letting her back on the street, and even Max had to agree with that," Jimmy replied, as he snatched up the ringing phone. "Hello?"

"Jimmy," Kenny asked holding Max in his arms after some make up sex. She rested her head on his shoulder, and ran her fingers across his chest.

"What's going on?" Jimmy asked him, mouthing the Kenny to his wife.

Kenny filled him in on their impromptu visit to the counseling center, and Jen's comment about Gina's troubles with the judicial system.

"That's interesting," Jimmy conceded exchanging a look with Jill. "How did your wife take the news?"  
"Max? I don't think she felt good about it, but she doesn't want Gina back out there is she's dangerous," Kenny said running his hand through her red hair.

"Has she said anything?"  
"No, she's being stubborn about this one," Kenny replied honestly, as Max playfully jabbed him with her elbow. He was just happy to see her with a smile on her face. He rested his hand on her stomach. "We don't agree on it, but Jimmy she is torn up over this. Cut her some slack."

"Is she around? I want to talk to her for a minute," Jimmy asked.

"Hold on," Kenny said, passing the phone to Max. "He wants to talk to you."

"Think if I tell him I'm pregnant, he'll back off a bit?" Max asked, reluctantly taking the phone. "He's not going to tell me anything that I haven't heard this week already."

"We'll have to tell him that eventually, but now probably isn't the best time."

"And it wouldn't make any of this go away," Max replied, uncovering the receiver. "Hi Jimmy."

"Kenny tells me to cut you some slack on this," Jimmy started off. "Any chance that this counselor will turn over her records?"

"I know why you're pushing me on it, and Jen said she'd evaluate and go from there," Max replied. "She doesn't know that I'm a cop, and we didn't tell her, so keep that in mind when she shows up."

"Did she say anything else? What kind of problems with the judicial system did she have?"

Max groaned inwardly. "I'm not sure exactly, it was when she was a kid and she never elaborated on it. Something about a Fort Lauderdale Pier. Shit. I wasn't supposed to say that."

"Is that where she's from?"

Max felt like banging her head on the wall for her slip. All that bravado about keeping it confidential, she thought. Some friend I am. "Well, it's a start at least."

"Did she ever go by another name?" Jimmy asked, now that he got something out of her, he wasn't about to stop.

"Another name? Honestly Jimmy, I don't know," Max said truthfully. "Talk to Jen tomorrow. Or Gina, or Kurt's family. They knew her better then me."

"Apparently not," Jimmy argued. "None of them knew anything about her past, or where she came from. She and Kurt kept to themselves, and didn't go out much."  
"Really," Max said doubtfully, sitting up a bit. "That is strange."

Kenny saw the furrowed expression on his wife's face, and he wondered what she was putting together.

"Anything else? From the visit?" Jimmy asked.

"Let me sleep on it," Max replied. "Something isn't adding up for me, and I need to think for awhile." After hanging up, she buried her head in Kenny's chest. "I hate this."

"Fort Lauderdale?" he asked. "It's not like you gave away nuclear codes."

. "Gina and Kurt. Fort Lauderdale. I didn't know she was married, in fact I thought…"

"Max?" he asked carefully. "What are you thinking?"

She shook her head. "I'm not sure, but I think there is a lot that she never said. And her never showing up on paper until she and Kurt got married, no prints, so social security number, nothing."

"You want to talk about it?"

"I'd love to," Max replied truthfully, thinking about all of the cases they had talked their way through. "What I tell you though, does it stay between us? Kenny, I need to talk about this, and I know that it's unfair to ask you to do that."

"I can't do that anymore then you can tell what you learned about her in counseling," Kenny replied holding her close. "We're stuck in this one."

"I feel like a hypocrite. I'm helping a murderer go free," Max replied. "I've been a cop for 10 years, I should know better then to get my emotions involved."

Kenny caught the hitch in her voice, and kissed the top of her head. "You're being human Max, and you'd have to be pretty cold not to have this get to you."

Max leaned up against him, and he wrapped his arms tighter around her. Closing her eyes, she knew that tomorrow she would have to make some pretty big decisions. If Jen refused to release the information about Gina's past, Max felt obligated to. She hated herself for it, but the whole situation was screwed up. Sleep, she thought, it might look better in the morning.

**2222222222222222222222**

"Hide," Kenny whispered the next morning, catching Max as she rounded the corner. "Your friend just came in."

Catching sight of Jen, Max let him drag her into the coffee room. Not wanting Jen to discover their little deception yet, she watched Kenny close the door behind them.

"She's certainly early," Max said, watching Jimmy lead her back to the cellblock. "I hope she can help."

"What happens when she finds out you're a cop?" Kenny asked. "Think it'll make a difference?"

"Definitely," Max said. "They don't trust them because so many rapists go free. We know how hard it is to make a rape charge stick, even with physical evidence. Kenny?"

"Max," he answered, as he saw that she was debating telling him something or not.

A sharp knock came, and Jimmy came in. "Well, she's talking to her. We'll just have to wait it out. Did either of you find anything on a Gina Troy from Fort Lauderdale?"

Kenny shook his head. "There's not one in the any of the school records, and the only Troy family we found was black."

"What about Campbell?" Max asked suddenly. "We don't know where Kurt came from. Could he be a Florida import too?"

"It's worth a shot," Jimmy said, as Jen came storming out of the cellblock. "I think she knows about you now. I'll be back."

Jimmy led her into his office, and they both knew that they would be getting nothing from her.

**2222222222222222222222**

Max sat out on the back porch later that night, thinking about what she should do now. The case went to grand jury in two days, and there was still no motive. Reviewing the facts quickly in her mind, they had prints on a knife, Gina kneeling by the body. Her claim to find it that way, but her refusal to cooperate with the police and her erratic behavior. Scrapes on her arms, and skin under Kurt's fingernails, they didn't have the DNA match yet, but Max was pretty sure that they would soon. Tapping the pen against the pad of paper, Max knew there was enough reasonable doubt to have this case kicked out of court. Taking a deep breath, she began to write.

That's where Kenny found her an hour later, with her hand all cramped up from writing down Gina's story. He could see the tear stains on her face when she looked up at him. Tearing the pages from the pad, she folded the bulk in half, and looked at it for a moment.

"I wrote everything that she said in that group down. I know it's just hearsay, but as much as I want to keep the confidentiality of the group, I can't let her go back out on the street. Yeah, it may deter woman from going, but maybe it might cause them to think before they go out and kill someone too," Max said quietly. "There is no right answer here, and maybe getting her committed some place is the right thing for her."

"Max," Kenny began, as she handed him what she had wrote. "You don't have to do this."

"Take it," she insisted. "I just need to be alone for awhile."

Kenny watched her walk back into the house, and heard the front door close as she picked up her keys. He looked at the folded sheets that his wife gave him, and wanted to chase after her. Hearing her car peal out of the driveway, and knowing how she drove, he knew there wasn't much chance of that happening. He settled down on the same step that Max had been sitting on, and unfolded the sheets.


	3. Decision

Kenny folded up the pages that Max had written, and was almost afraid to let go of them. He didn't know where she had gone, but he couldn't forget the look on her face when she left. She looked defeated, and he was worried about her. Kenny had no doubt that Max was perfectly able to take care of herself, but whether it was the pregnancy or something else, her emotions were raging. He knew how she felt about doing this, and he cursed himself and everyone else for pushing her on it. Max was so damn stubborn, he thought, but she does pick her moments. He leaned back against the step, and waited for his wife to come home.

**333333333333**

Max didn't know where she was going after the initial peal out of the driveway. She just needed to get away from it all for a few hours, and longed to be anonymous. Flipping off her phone, she vowed to ignore the world for a few hours. Easing her foot off the accelerator, she cruised out of town trying not to feel guilty for doing it. Flipping through the facts and what she knew, Max tried to string some of the information together to make sense. Cranking up the music, she pulled into Windsor Park, where she and Kenny got engaged. Leaning up against the seat, she closed her eyes not liking herself that much for fleeing from her home, and she was pretty sure that Kenny would have a mouthful to say to her when she got back.

Walking down towards the pond, she spoke to aloud to her unborn baby. "Well, little thing, welcome to Rome. If it's one thing, it's interesting. I can promise they'll always be plenty of activity, but I can't promise that your Dad and I will always see eye to eye on everything. It's so strange to think of us like that though, even though I've always thought that Kenny would make a terrific father. I have my doubts about me, and I apologize before hand for anything stupid I might do, or not know."

Enjoying the solitude of the park, Max began to string the case together.

**333333333333**

"DNA," Carter exclaimed. "The DNA matches!"  
"We thought it would," Jimmy replied to the overly excitable medical examiner. "She had scratches on her arms, and he had skin under his nails."

"No, No," Carter insisted. "Yeah, that matched, but Gina and Kurt have matching DNA too! They're related!"

"Excuse me?" Jimmy exclaimed. "How related?"

"Very," Carter nodded. "I'm guessing immediate family. Sibling, parent. Or sibling, sibling. This isn't some normal married couple. This is big, Jimmy. Big. I should be deputized on this."

Jimmy shook his head, and reaching for the phone. "Not a chance Carter. That's why there is nothing on her family, and all Max said was that she came from Fort Lauderdale. If Kurt's from there too… that might give us some more insight into her past."

"And give her a strong motive for killing a family member," Carter nodded. "If they're blood relatives living as a married couple, what couldn't go wrong? Affairs, abuse… these people have problems."

Carter fell quiet as Jimmy dialed Kenny and Max and spoke. "Kenny? Yeah, it's Jimmy. Is Max there?"

Kenny felt his relief fade because he had hoped that it was his wife replied. "No, and I'm not sure where she is."

"Shit. Gina and Kurt have DNA that shows that they're blood relatives," Jimmy stated. "That makes things a little more complicated."

"No way would Max let anyone get away with that," he replied, catching Jimmy's implication. "She's tolerant about a lot of things, but incest and abuse aren't anything that she would let go."

"She was certainly adamant about keeping confidentiality," Jimmy replied dryly. "You mind if I swing by and wait?"

Kenny eyed the pages Max left him before he replied. "Sure come on over. I could use the company."

He heard the door open, as they hung up. Pissed because she had left him here with all of this, they just looked at each other silence for a minute.

"Where the hell have you been?" he finally asked. "Max, it's been over three hours, and when my upset, pregnant, wife disappears, shit. I was worried about you."

"Can't I just have some space?" she shot back. "Don't smother me."

"Not like this. You can't just walk out, and leave me with something like this," he replied. feeling his temper rise. "I've been trying to call you for hours, and they invented cell phones for a reason! Damn it Max!"

"Don't yell at me," she snapped. "You told me to do what I thought was right, and I did! You wanted to know, and it's something I don't like to talk about! You just don't get it!"

"Get what?"

"What it's like! To have someone hurt you like that, and to be powerless to stop it! That poor girl had her father beat her since she was a child, and he started raping her during puberty! He locked her in a room with her brother, and taped them doing sexual things together. What Danny did to me sucked, but what happened to Gina is one of those crimes that you see in the news that makes you want to be sick! So if Kurt was hitting her or anything, which she eluded too, yeah it gives her a motive!"

Kenny could see her trying not tremble after her outburst, but he was still angry about her disappearing act. "I watched you go through it! And my sister! So don't tell me I don't know what it's like. Max, it killed me to see you like that."

"Bullshit. Have you ever felt totally helpless? No, of course not tough guy. So don't tell me you understand," Max spat. "She shouldn't have killed him. We all know that, but if she felt threatened… she wouldn't think twice about defending herself."

"Maybe you should be a therapist," he snapped.

"Oh, shut up," Max said spinning away from him, as he grabbed her wrist. "Let go of me."

"Not yet," he replied, trying to hold his temper in and studying the fire in his wife's eyes. "I didn't read it."

"What," Max stuttered, utterly shocked. "Why?"

Kenny shrugged. "I knew what it all meant to you, and do you know how proud I am of you for this? I don't agree with you, and you know that, but Max what you did was right."

She shook her head, not trusting her voice for a second. "No it wasn't. What kind of example does it set? Kill your husband, and get away with it?"

"He's not her husband," Kenny said, watching her face, and knowing in that moment that she didn't know.

"What?" Max gasped. "Are you sure?"

"They have DNA that shows that they're related. At least according to Carter. Closely related."

"If Gina was locked in a room with her brother," Max trailed off, hoping he would catch her drift.

"Yeah," Kenny agreed. "We look at Campbells from Fort Lauderdale, and find out why she might want to kill her brother."

"What about the rest of her family?" Max asked. "And his?"

"We didn't find any Troy's down there, but we didn't look for Campbells," Kenny reasoned, as he let go of her.

"And they're one in the same," Max said. "Nothing here is ever simple."

"This wouldn't be Rome then," Kenny replied, as they heard another car in the drive. "Jimmy's stopping by, he called about the DNA stuff and wanted to know if you knew that they were related."

Kenny passed her the unread sheets and she took them gingerly. "I'm not sure what I should do with these."

"It's up to you," he said, kissing the top of her head, as Jimmy knocked. "C'mon in."

Jimmy eyed the young couple before focusing on Max. "Did you know?"

Max shook her head, "I swear I didn't. You know me better then that."

Kenny wrapped his arm around his wife's waist before adding. "She nearly fell over when I told her, Jimmy."

He could tell that his two deputies were telling him the truth, and he had known deep down that Max hadn't known. "You two are both off tomorrow? I want to start digging into finding out about the Campbell family, so can you come in?"

"Ah, I have an appointment at 10," Max said, thinking about her sonogram. "But after that… it should be fine."

He turned to Kenny. "I'm going with her, so when we're done we'll be there when we're done."

Jimmy caught the quick happy glance between them, and knowing that these two were apt to go investigate on their own he wanted to know what they were planning. "What sort of appointment?"

They exchanged another glance, and Kenny shrugged. "Well one person can't hurt, Honey?"  
"Probably not," Max conceded, gladly forgetting about the case for a moment, and turning back to Jimmy. "We actually have something to tell you. A good thing."

Jimmy studied them for a moment, as Max paused and noted despite the tension that he sense earlier in the week they seemed to be quite content.

Max continued nervously in his silence. "I'm pregnant."

"Pregnant?" he sputtered, after a moment.

"Do you need to sit? Or have a drin?," Kenny asked, as he watched Jimmy's shocked reaction, and turning back to Max. "I'm glad someone was more shocked then us."

She grinned at him, as Jimmy leaned back in one of their infrequently used kitchen chairs. "Me too."

"You're having a baby," Jimmy repeated, coming out of his state of shock. "We're you planning on this?"

"Not right away," Kenny admitted. "But we're warming up to the idea."

"When?"

"About seven months, so sometime in November."

"You two are having a baby," he repeated again shaking his head. "Congratulations, and I can't believe that Jill wouldn't tell me this."

"Thanks," she replied grinning. "Neither of us any idea what to do with a baby, but it can't be that hard."

"Oh, you'll see," Jimmy predicted, happy for his young friends.

Max glanced at the pile of papers on the counter, and because of the recent developments, she felt that the confidentiality agreement was null and void. Married to her brother, Max thought to herself, and she wondered if anything else she said was true. Kenny followed her glance, and gently squeezed her around the waist. Making a quick decision, she turned back to Jimmy.

"If you're glad about this, I have something else to tell you too," Max began picking up the sheets. "After a lot of thinking about everything, I wrote down what Gina told the group in the sessions."

Jimmy silently cursed them for nearly giving him two heart attacks in a span of three minutes, as he grappled with Max's second surprise. He looked at the twisted sheets in her hands, and wondered what could have possibly made her change her mind, knowing her the way he did. "Why?" he asked simply.

Max shook her head. "She needs help Jimmy, more then I realized before with this whole incest thing. I don't think that she should just be able to kill someone and get away with it maybe it's the cop in me. Thousands of women every year are abused, but they don't go out and kill people. I understand why they would kill their abuser, and when I stabbed Danny part of me wanted him dead."

Jimmy wasn't surprised at that, but he never expected Max to admit it to him. "I think we all wanted him dead, but the difference is that you didn't kill him."

Max nodded before unfolding the sheets of paper, and skimming over her written words. "I don't even know if what she said is true or not anymore, and part of me is against doing this, but…"

She trailed off turning to Kenny, and seeing she had his full support in this. She longed for the simpler days of underground electrical currents killing the district attorney in the bath tub, or mayors spontaneously combusting. Knowing that Jimmy was waiting for her to continue, Max gathered her conflicting thoughts again.

"Gina grew up in Fort Lauderdale, with her parents and brother, who we now know is probably Kurt. Her Dad hit her for years when she was a kid, but when she started to develop he began doing sexual things to her, especially when he was drunk. Later, he would put his two kids in a room together," Max paused feeling slightly nauseated, not knowing if it was because of what she was saying or one of those weird pregnancy things. "He would make them touch each other, and film it. I know she ran away from home a few times, and was dragged through the juvenile court system for a few years, but her Dad was some kind judge down there, and nothing ever came of it."

Jimmy and Kenny processed Max's admission before Kenny responded. "How come there is no record of it then? Even if she changed her name, her fingerprints should have come up in the database if she'd been through the courts."

"I don't know. She could have made it all up," Max said softly.

"Whatever happened to the rest of the family?" Jimmy asked. "A judge Campbell?"

"That shouldn't be too hard to look up," Max responded, burying her feelings of guilt over this to think about later. "Her juvenile record would be sealed, but the lack of her identity on paper really irks me. Even if she had been running from her family, there should be something. It's like they both appeared out of nowhere."

"You feel like digging now?" Kenny asked them both because they knew that this was their first real break in the case.

"Someone has to be up early tomorrow, and I know pregnant woman need their rest," Jimmy said watching for Max's reaction. "Jill got cranky when she was pregnant with the boys."

Max tried not to groan, and she heard Kenny trying not to laugh behind her. One thing she was sure of was that she wasn't going to let anyone, including these two, keep her strapped to a desk for the next seven months. "I'm pregnant, not comatose," Max replied evenly to the two men.

"It can wait until tomorrow," Jimmy insisted, sensing that they needed some alone time together. He stood up, and extended his hand to Kenny. "Congratulations, again. Max, get some rest, you'll need it in a few months, and we'll finish this tomorrow."

"Okay," she said caving because the idea of going back to the station now wasn't highly appealing, and she was tempted to crawl into bed at this early hour. Jimmy shot one last look at his two deputies, and suppressed a smile. He would have never thought they would come to this point, but both Kenny and Max had been surprising him for years.

**33333333333333333333333**

"Here we go," Jill said the next morning, as she ran the bulb over Max's flat stomach, as Kenny hovered above her. "See that?"

Max looked at the blurred shape on the monitor, and wondered if it was a terrible sign that she couldn't tell what she was looking for. "Not really."

Jill pointed to the circular shape. "Over there is the head, and that's the body."

Kenny squeezed his wife's shoulder, as Jill pointed out their baby, and Max couldn't help but to feel awe at what she was seeing.

"He's so tiny," Max said.

"You think it's a he?" Jill asked.

"That's what we've been calling it," Kenny said, as Jill printed of the picture.

"I can tell you the sex if you want," Jill said, turning back to the screen. "Jimmy was shocked when he came home last night, and that takes a lot after everything that goes on in this town."

Kenny looked down at Max who replied. "I hadn't seen him like that since Pugen exploded."

Jill smiled at her young friend, and was so glad for both of them to have good news in their life now. "Do the two of you want to know the sex?"

"I kind of want to be surprised," Kenny replied slowly. "Max?"

She nodded in agreement. "I can wait a few more months."

"Well, everything is fine so far," Jill replied, studying the results. "But knowing you, I want you to take care of yourself, and not take on to much at work."

"I'll make sure of that," Kenny replied, as Max shot him a dark look. "C'mon, humor me here, Max."

"Oh, I'll humor you," she promised, as Jill went over the rest of her instructions.

**333333333333**

Picking the paper off the fax machine later Kenny beckoned Max over as he read the sheets from Fort Lauderdale. "Take a look at this."

Max quickly skimmed the sheets, and felt an ache in her chest over what had happened to Judge Frank Campbell. Pulled out of the ocean, after he stumbled off of a pier in Fort Lauderdale drunk. Survived by his wife Lena and two sons Kurt and Troy, Max read. Shooting Kenny a quick glance at that last line, she didn't know what to make of that.

"Two sons," she asked. "What about Gina? And the other boy?"

Kenny shrugged. "Maybe they weren't siblings? They could have been cousins, or something else. We'll have to wait for the DNA to come back on that one."

"Yeah," Max replied, lost in thought as something clicked in her mind. "I thought…"

"Max," Kenny said warily, knowing that look on her face. "What's up?"

She shook her head. "Let me think for awhile on this? Besides, I've got to go out with Pete on patrol in a few minutes."

Kenny was tempted to make her stay and tell him what was going on in her head, but let her go of with the young deputy, who Kenny knew had a crush on his wife. He had seen Pete staring at her for months now, and while part of him wanted to pound the younger man into the ground, he knew where he was coming from. And Kenny trusted Max implicitly, but he was worried about her running off after some lead alone. Watching his wife head out and Jimmy called him into his office to go over what he had found.

**333333333333**

"Hmm," Max purred, as Kenny kissed her neck later that night. "If you keep doing that, I don't think we're going anywhere."

"I don't mind," Kenny replied inhaling her scent. "We've got time."

"Oh, you're such a man," Max said airily. "Throw on a clean shirt, and you're ready to go. I on the other hand have to do hair, makeup, and coordinate between clothes and accessories."

Kenny studied Max's white tank top and knee length blue silk skirt. "You look good to me."

"You're biased," she said grinning. "Besides I won't be able to fit into these clothes in a few months, and it is a party."

"Carter turning 40," Kenny trailed off, thinking of their friend, and knowing that he'd had a rough time after Sue had died last year. "We're getting old, Max."

"Nah," she said, running a brush through her hair, as she slid into some low heeled sandals. "You ready to go?"

Pulling her into his arms one last time, Kenny kissed her and Max was tempted to forget the whole party and just stay right here.

**333333333333**

Max and Jill watched Laurie and Carter talk together in the corner, and if Jill didn't know any better she would swear they were flirting.

"They do look cute," Max said, following Jill's line of thought.

"He does look happy," Jill whispered back. "He's had a tough year, and when was the last time you saw Laurie on a date?"

Max shrugged, knowing that Jill wanted to talk about breaking the confidentiality of the counseling group, but hesitant to bring it up. Looking around for Kenny, she saw him talking with Kimberly, and she did her best not to feel jealous. She knew that their week long attempt at dating was a fluke, but Kim was a beautiful young woman. Shaking off her negative feelings, she turned her attention back to Jill.

"Not for awhile," Max said. "She had the baby over two years ago, and before that I don't know. We'll have to wait and see on that one. I know you want to say something, so just go ahead."

"That group is built on trust Max," Jill began. "And once it's broken, it's hard to get back. I know all about the confidentiality agreements that come up in our lives, and I've struggled with it myself, and divulged the information before. I know it's a decision that you struggled with, and sometimes there is no right answer."

"I know," Max said softly, as she turned the situation over in her brain, as Laurie made her way over, and Carter broke towards the bathroom.

"He's cute," Laurie signed, gesturing towards the departing Carter.

The three women moved closer together, and delved into conversation.

**333333333333**

Jimmy observed Kenny talking with his daughter as he stood by the bar, and he thought back to his reaction a few years ago when they tried to date. What a difference, Jimmy thought thinking about the past few years. Walking over, he tried to block the case out of his mind, but as he observed the people around him he couldn't. He watched his daughter, so young and pretty, and so strong. She would make a great doctor, Jimmy thought, and the way she stood up for people made Jimmy proud, and gave him a pause as he thought back to the Christmas pageant, and how they had found out about Louise Talbot.

"Gina Troy," he said aloud to himself, "Kurt Campbell had a brother named Troy."

As the pieces fell into place, Jimmy knew that if what he was thinking was correct, this thing was about to blow.


	4. Betrayal

"Sorry, I need to borrow her for a second," Kenny told Jill and Laurie after his quick conversation with Jimmy, and coming up behind his wife. Max shot him a curious glance, wondering what was going on.

"Sure," she said despite wanting to find out what was going on between Carter and Laurie. "We'll finish this later?"

Huddling together, he whispered in her ear what Jimmy had just told him about Gina and Kurt's brother Troy, and Max actually couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"No way," she whispered back, as Jimmy made his way over to them. "She's a he?"

Kenny shrugged. "It would make sense sort of. We ran her prints through the female database, and this is Rome."

"You think we would have learned by now," Max replied, as Jimmy finally reached them. "That's one hell of an idea."

"Thought so," Jimmy replied ready to do some more digging on the background of their murderer. "There have to be medical records on her, er, him, if they had an operation."

"What's the chance of a doctor surrendering them?" Kenny had to ask, knowing what they had just been through with Max, and how many fights Jimmy had with Jill over this same issue.

"With the way things are going," Jimmy trailed off. "Not good."

"Even if she is, what motive would that give her, or him," Max asked, still feeling somewhat protective of Gina, probably out of guilt for divulging her secrets. "She obviously has a lot of problems, so what is one more piled on top?"

"Something about this doesn't sit right with me," Jimmy replied knowing that this investigation was far from over. "And I don't want you to strain yourself on this one Max, you're pregnant, don't forget that."

"You are," Carter yelped, coming up behind them and catching Jimmy's remark. "You're having a baby?"

"Shh," Kenny said because they were waiting a few more weeks before telling people. "And yeah we are."

"Wow," Carter said astonished looking at his friends. "Congratulations."

"Thanks," Max replied sheepishly, as Kenny wrapped his arm around her waist. "Ah, would you mind keeping it to yourself for now? It's still kind of new. Happy Birthday Carter."

Carter nodded enthusiastically. "I still can't believe it…"

Turning back to Jimmy. "I won't forget it, and I won't go rushing off into anything, you have my word on that, but I want to find out about this."

Jimmy nodded, as they explained the situation to Carter who readily agreed to search his DNA results to determine the sex of the killer as well.

**44444444444444**

Kimberly watched the way the Kenny casually had his arm draped around Max's waist, and she had to admit she felt jealous and somewhat resentful because of her and Kenny's week long tryst a few years ago. Now, older and wiser she wondered what would have happened if they had given it a serious try. Looking at him now, Kimberly ached to go over there and find out. Watching her Dad, Carter, Max and Kenny clustered together she knew it had to be work related, but her attention was mostly focused on Kenny. Smiling to herself, she began to plan a way to spend more time with him.

**44444444444444**

"Got it," Kenny said the next day walking into Jimmy's office. "Gina Troy's prints belong to a Troy Campbell of Fort Lauderdale Florida. The fax just came in."

Jimmy took it from him, and read it quickly before responding. "Good, haul her into the interrogation room, and let's give Max the honor of doing this."

Kenny nodded as they grinned at each other, and he went off to the cells and to find his wife. Catching her looking a little flushed and coming out of the bathroom, she shook her head at him.

"This nausea is going to push me over the edge," she said with a weak smile. "One minute I'm fine and the next… well you've seen me in the morning at home."

"You okay?" he asked, not wanting to push her buttons.

Max shrugged. "Yeah, but I can't wait for this phase to pass. I'll take swollen feet and a fat stomach to vomiting every morning."

Kenny smiled indulgently at her, and brushed her hair back off her face in the solitude of the back hallway. "Gina and Troy's prints matched, and I'm about to pull her into the room. You want to come?"

"I would love to," Max said truthfully. "I want to see her face when we tell her this. Maybe she'll slip up and say something. Is Wambaugh here?"

"Not yet," Kenny said ominously heading towards the cells. "Five minutes?"

She nodded, and went to meet Jimmy.

"What now," Gina snapped looking at the three cops in the interrogation room. "I thought I was going to be out of here by now."

"Not likely," Max replied coolly. "Troy."

Gina didn't hide her surprise well, and her brave façade began to crumble of Max said her name. Her eyes welled up, and her hands shook. Pale faced, she just stared up at them, and Max almost felt pity for her, even after all Gina had put her through.

"How… no one was supposed to know," Gina whispered. "Please you can't tell anyone!"

"Why not?" Jimmy asked.

"I can't tell you," Gina whimpered. "Please, I don't want to go back there!"

"What are you running from?" Max asked gently seeing the fear in her eyes. "Let us help you."

"You don't understand. No one does. No one by Kurt. And he's dead," Gina cried. "Don't you understand? He was the only one and he's gone!"

"Why is he gone?" Kenny prodded. "What happened to him?"

Gina trembled in his seat, and Max could see the blatant expression of fear written across her face. The torment of what she was going through was unimaginable, but she had a spine of steel.

"You're all cops! You don't care about me, you just want to lock me up like him," Gina cried. "Just let me be!"

"Who locked you up Gina? You can tell me, remember," Max said quietly, already knowing the answer.

She shook her head, and dug her nails into the table. "You know."

Max nodded sadly. "What happened to Kurt?"

"No, I won't tell," Gina whispered. "I want my lawyer."

Max, Kenny and Jimmy exchanged a look, and knew they weren't going to get anything else from her.

**44444444444444**

"Judge Campbell," Max said to herself in the office later that night, as she read over his obituary again. "Fell from a pier?"

The Fort Lauderdale department had faxed up the accident and autopsy report on his death, and even though she had already read through it, Max opened it again searching for some small detail that provide something to link this all together. She turned the facts over in her mind. Child abuse, lead to marrying brother after a sex change. Murder of the brother. Looking back to Judge Campbell's accident report, Max had her doubts that it was a coincidence. Reading through the witness reports, she saw that he fell through a loose board, and she knew from her conversations with Gina/Troy that her family fished on that pier what they weren't making pornographic home movies. Still, Max mused, it didn't explain why she/he would suddenly kill her brother, unless he was taking up where their father left off. Max knew that it probably wasn't the most stable relationship in the world, but after interviewing the few people that knew them, all of them said that Gina/Troy and Kurt seemed to be happy.

She continued to read, losing herself in the information before her.

**44444444444444**

"Kimberly," Kenny said surprised, as he opened the door to see the young college student there. "What are you doing out so late?"  
"I'm not a kid anymore Kenny," Kimberly said with a smile. "I just wanted to stop by and talk. We haven't done that in awhile."

Kenny couldn't help but notice the low cut top she was wearing, as she came in. Giving himself a mental shake, he talked to himself. I'm married, and my wife is pregnant. This is your bosses daughter who is over 10 years younger then you, and I love Max, so what if Kim's wearing a top practically cut down to her bellybutton?

"Thought you'd be back at school by now," Kenny asked, settling into the chair across from her.

She shrugged. "I took a few days off."

"Bet your parents don't like that," Kenny replied dryly knowing the Brocks well.

"They'll get over it," Kim replied, wishing she was sitting closer to him, but knowing that Max was at work for a few more hours. "All alone tonight?"

"Yeah, Max had a late shift," Kenny replied. "She won't be working those much longer."

"Why not?"

"Oh, schedule changes," Kenny replied, knowing that Jimmy wouldn't let her work late at night and alone while she was pregnant much longer, and he all knew that Max would fight him all the way on it.

"You two spend a lot of time together. Don't you run out of things to say to each other?"

"No," Kenny said truthfully knowing that he and Max could talk for hours about anything and when they did run out of things to say, there were other activities they could do. "Even when we're fighting, we've always got something to say."

Kim leaned back against the couch; her long dark hair falling across her chest in what she hoped was a seductive pose. "Really?"

**4444444444444444444444444**

"Hi, Skeeter," Max said yawning and closing the case file in front of her.

"You look tired," he replied. "Go get some rest and take a break."

"Ugh. You sound like Kenny. And Jimmy."  
"Listen to them, go change and get out of here," Skeeter replied, as he settled at his desk. "Enjoy your weekend."  
"I plan on spending it in bed," Max said stretching. "Sleeping."

"Right, sleeping," Skeeter said sarcastically rolling his eyes. "I'm sure someone has other ideas."

Max shot him a humorless look as she went to change.

**44444444444444**

Kim stood up from the couch and gazed out the window at the moonless night. Turning back towards Kenny, she walked slowly towards him and sat down on the arm of his chair. He straightened up a little bit, and he'd seen the look in Kimberly's eye a few too many times to know that it wasn't harmless.

"Kim, what do you think you're doing?" he asked hoarsely.

"What we started a few years ago," she whispered. "I'm not a kid anymore, Kenny, and if it wasn't for my Dad we might have followed through with this."

Kenny shook his head and stood up. "No we wouldn't have… Kimberly, it was one of those things that wasn't meant to be."

"Because of her?"  
Knowing that she meant Max, Kenny replied. "Yeah. She's my wife, the other half of me. I can't imagine not waking up with her in the morning, and even when we're fighting… I love her."

No, Kim thought to herself, no. Pushing him back down onto the couch, she crushed her mouth to him.

**44444444444444**

Max shut of the ignition in her jeep, and wearily made her way inside. Wanting nothing more then a hot bath, and possibly falling asleep in Kenny's arms, she opened the door. Dropping her bag, Max could only stare at the scene in front of her, and she could practically feel her heart break in half as she watched Kimberly Brock straddling her husband. Frozen in one spot, Max couldn't find her voice and she couldn't tear her eyes from the two of them.

Kenny was shocked at Kimberly's aggressiveness and didn't react right away. Grabbing her hands in his, he pushed her off of him, and watched her fall back against the couch. Speechless he looked at her for a minute, and realized that they weren't alone in the room. Looking at Max, he could see the disgust plainly on her face, as well as the hurt.

"Max," he said hoarsely, not able to stand the pain in her eyes. "Let me explain."

She stepped back as he came towards her. "Explain? What is there possibly to explain, Kenny? I should have known better. I know you. And I should have known that you couldn't keep you hands to yourself! Let me guess, an anatomy lesson for the young doctor to be?"

He reached out for her, but she moved out of his grasp. "Do not touch me."

Kenny did his best not to shake at the venom he heard in his wife's words, and he could see by the fire in her eyes that she wasn't going to listen to him now, not that he deserved it. She wrapped her arms around herself, and Kenny knew that she was holding it together by a thread.

"Max, please," he pleaded, wanting her to understand.

"Get. Away. From. Me. Go back to the dorm with her," Max spat as she tried not to cry. "How could you? I thought you loved me."

Kenny ached to hold her, but knowing it would make everything worse if he even attempted to. "I do love you."

Max snorted. "Bastard! That's why you're making out with Kimberly on the couch?"

Kenny looked over at her, and then pointed to the door. "Get out."

Kim shrugged, and walked over to them. Reaching up, she stroked Kenny's cheek. "I'll see you later."

They watched her go in silence, and Kenny could have shot himself for the tears he saw running down Max's face. After everything that they had been through together, he thought, now this. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

Is this how Rachel felt, Max thought wildly thinking back to that night when she had walked in on them. Is this my karma coming back to bite me in the ass? Taking another step back from Kenny, she found it hard to think because it hurt so badly. Max never thought that she could hurt that much, and not be dead.

"I don't want to talk about this," Max choked not even wanting to look at him, much less listen to him. Spinning on her heel, she fled upstairs and slammed the bedroom door behind her. Sinking to the floor, she lowered her head between her knees and sobbed.

Kenny watched her go, and wanted to follow her. Dumb-ass, he thought, how could I let this happen? Praying that he hadn't just destroyed the best thing in his life, he slowly climbed the stairs up to their room.

**44444444444444**

Gina paced in her cell, feeling the panic rising up inside of her. I need to get out of here, she thought. Knowing that her secret was out, she knew it was a matter of time before Max put all the pieces together. She knew to much, and Gina was positive that when she did figure it all out, she would be going to prison. Sinking back against the cell wall, she wished that Kurt wasn't dead, but knowing that he needed to be. He had threatened to tell everything, and that couldn't happen. Not now, and not ever.

Videos, she thought wildly knowing that they were hidden away in the floorboards of her house. All of those videos. Part of Gina wanted this whole thing to be over, but she couldn't tell. She couldn't get anyone else in trouble over her mistakes. No one would ever hurt her again. They would be happy.

**44444444444444**

"Max," Kenny called, rapping on the door. "Please, I need to talk to you, Honey."

Hearing nothing but muffled sobs, he felt his heart breaking. If he lived to be a hundred he would never forget the expression on her face when he looked at her.

Max heard him talking to her, but wanted nothing to do with him at that moment. Never in a million years did she ever think that Kenny would go off and have an affair. He was loyal to a fault, and it made her want to curl up and die to know that he thought so little of everything they had been through together if he could throw it all away for a quick fling with Kimberly Brock. Burying her head between her knees, Max tried to block out the sound of his voice.

"Max," he called again, trying the knob and not surprisingly finding it locked. "Just let me in. Don't do this."

"Don't do this," she yelled, throwing the door open causing him to jump back. "How dare you tell me what to do! How long has this been going on?"

"Nothing is going on," he shouted back. "Would you just listen to me?"

"Why? I should have known better!"

"Don't say that," Kenny choked out, feeling tears stinging in his eyes. "I love you Maxine. We've worked to hard to get this thing right. Please."

"Maybe we shouldn't have had too," Max spat at him. "It doesn't seem worth it now."

"Don't," Kenny pleaded feeling her slip away from him. "She showed up here, and wanted to talk. Hell, she's always been a friend… and she jumped on me."

"Oh, so of course you had to make out with her for awhile," Max replied.

"She surprised me! Max, I would never hurt you like that," Kenny insisted seeing that she didn't believe him. "You're the best part of my life, the only person I can imagine having a life with. I remember looking at you on our wedding day on the church steps, and knowing that I'd been waiting for you. Without you, I'm nothing."

Max wanted to believe him, but she couldn't get the image of them out of her head, so she tried desperately to keep her voice level. "Please just go. I can't stand to look at you right now."

"I'm not going anywhere," Kenny replied blocking the door. "And neither are you. We're fixing this thing now."

Max stared at him, and before she could shoot her retort back, she doubled over. Fire shot through her stomach, and she struggled to breath. Crumpling to the floor, Kenny was by her side in an instant.

"Oh shit," she moaned, feeling something warm trickle down her leg. "Oh, shit. Kenny!"

"It's going to be okay," he said desperately seeing the dark stain on Max's jeans. "Hold on tight, Honey."

He scooped her into his arms, and Max felt a wave of dizziness pass over her.

**44444444444444**

"Three months," Jill said to the nurse, as they tried to control the bleeding. "She's bleeding badly! Where are my clamps?"

Max moaned, and she knew she was losing the baby. She felt Kenny beside her, holding her hand, and wiping the sweat off of her face. Squinting at him, all she could see was the love and concern on his face, but the pain was still fresh in her mind.

"We need to get her to surgery," Jill snapped at the nurse. "If we want this baby to live. Let's go people!"

Kenny could only stand and watch as they wheeled her off. Standing in the deserted hallway, he didn't know what he would do if Max lost the baby. She would never forgive him, and he seriously doubted that he would ever be able to forgive himself. Sinking into a chair, he prayed, but he a sinking feeling that their luck with miracles might have already run out.


	5. Deceptions

Kenny couldn't move, he could barely think as he sat in the waiting room. His head in his hands, he felt like everything was ending. The way Max had looked at him when she saw them on the couch… Kenny couldn't imagine her ever forgiving him, even if he did explain it to her. Especially if she lost their baby, and he decided that he would give his life for both of them to be alright. All that blood, he could still see the faint red tint on his palms C'mon Max, he thought, you're going to be okay. You're better then this, hang in there. Not for me if you don't want to, but for our kid. We're going to work this out, and I can't live the rest of my life without you, even if we do antagonize each other at least twice a week. He jerked his head up as Jill came back into the waiting room, looking as pale and exhausted as he felt.

"They're both okay," Jill said calmly, seeing the relief spread across his face. "She lost a lot of blood, Kenny, but she battled it out. Max is young and strong, and both she and the baby are fine."

Kenny let out a deep breath he didn't know that he'd been holding, and struggled to reply. "Can I see her?"

Jill nodded. "I'll walk you down there. What happened?"

Images danced through his mind, but considering it was Jill's daughter who jumped him on the couch he decided to be discreet. "Stupid fight and she just collapsed."

Jill could see the guilt in his face, and knew she wasn't getting the full story from him, but she could tell that all his focus was on Max's well being at the time and she didn't want to deter from that. "She should be awake if you want to go in. It's important that she stays calm, so whatever the issue was table it for tonight."

Kenny nodded. "It's something I just want to go away. Huge misunderstanding, we'll work it out."

Jill nodded and pointed towards the door. "Go ahead."

He hesitated, unsure what Max's reaction to him would be before pushing it open. "Hey there," he called to the still figure in the bed. She turned to look at him, and she looked so small to him in that instance. It certainly wasn't the first time he'd seen her in the hospital, but something about the defeat in her eyes chilled him. Continuing nervously. "How do you feel? Jill said that you're both going to be fine."

Max just stared at him, feeling the drugs wearing off. Part of her wanted to throw her arms around him, and just be held, but the images of earlier that night still burned freshly in her memory. She turned her head away, not wanting to deal with any of this right now. Max knew that she was hurting him, but she didn't care at that moment.

"Max," Kenny pleaded, hating this. "I know you're angry, and if this situation was reversed I would be too. I just need to know that you're okay, and then if you want me to go, I will."

"I'm fine," she whispered.

He moved a step closer, not wanting to push the issue right now and knowing that she had just been through a horrendous physical and mental ordeal. "Do you want me to stay?"

Max struggled to respond against her conflicting emotions, and she hated the fact that she longed to have him here with her after everything that had happened that night. Deep down, she knew that he wouldn't cheat on her, and that her being in the hospital tonight was as much her fault as it was his, but she couldn't deal with any of it right now. She needed to believe that they were going to be okay, so she turned to look at him again. Seeing the dark circles beneath his big blue eyes, and the exhausted way he slumped his shoulders, she knew how awful he felt about this.

"Do you want to stay?"

"Yeah," he said carefully. "Max, I don't know what to say. I love you… this whole night was one big misunderstanding, a mistake that never should have happened."

"I can't do this now," she begged, as another wave of drowsiness took overtook her. "Please?"

Kenny nodded, seeing her struggling to hold it together, he settled into the chair next to the bed as she drifted off to sleep.

**55555555555555**

"Is she okay?" Jimmy asked as Jill filled him in on Max's almost miscarriage. "And the baby?"

"Both are going to be fine," Jill replied soothingly. "Kenny was vague on what happened though, although there no sign of a fall or physical struggle."

"He would never raise a hand to her," Jimmy insisted. "And Max wouldn't tolerate it for a minute."

Jill agreed with him, as Kimberly came into the kitchen and looked at her parent's tired faces. "What's going on?"  
They exchanged a look, and Jill sighed knowing the way news traveled in this town. "Max nearly had a miscarriage tonight, and a lot of people don't know that she's pregnant, they aren't telling anyone yet, but everyone is going to be alright."

"Pregnant," Kimberly asked, shocked. "They're having a baby?"

"That seems to be the general reaction," Jimmy replied dryly.

Panic shot through her mind, as she thought about what she had wanted to do tonight. Kim realized that she had deep feelings for him, and she still wanted to act on them, baby or no baby. She knew he had to harbor something for her, but he was so caught up in Max, and now a baby! Kim cursed her bad luck, and vowed to spend some more time with him.

"When are you heading back to school?" Jill asked. "You've been home for awhile now. You can't miss so many classes if you want to get into med school."

"In a few days," Kim replied vaguely.

**55555555555555**

Max could hear Kenny snoring, and was surprised that he could sleep sitting up in that hospital chair. Grimacing at the sight of the blood on his jeans, she winced a little bit at the pain below. Running her hand across her flat abdomen, she thought about what she had almost lost last night, and in the light of day she decided to listen to Kenny's side of the story. She just couldn't picture Kimberly jumping him though, and Max wanted to be with him, she needed to be with him. Thoroughly sick of hospitals, Max decided that she would do her best to stay out of them until she went into labor, and knowing this town she thought she would probably end up giving birth in a circus. Hearing Kenny stir beside her, Max cautiously watched him wake up.

Groaning, Kenny momentarily didn't know where he was, and then everything came rushing back to him. Stretching his sore muscles, he met his wife's gaze, and immediately wanted to get down on his knees and beg for her forgiveness. Aching to reach out and touch her he restrained himself knowing that she would fight him on it.

"Hi," Max said nervously, not sure how to broach the subject of last night. "You slept in the chair?"

"Yeah," Kenny replied, just as nervous as her. "It isn't the first time either."

He was rewarded with a small smile, and Max sat up a bit. Eyeing each other warily, they weren't sure how to ease the friction between them.

"Can this hold until we get home?" Max ventured. "I'm just so tired of fighting with you."

Kenny nodded. "Okay, one thing though? I love you Maxine Stewart Lacos, even when you make me crazy."

She reached out her hand to him, and he grasped it. Sitting in companionable silence, they awaited Jill's arrival.

**55555555555555**

Jimmy gazed out at the near deserted station before turning back too the Kurt Campbell murder file. He had just ordered another search of their house, and he was hoping that it would turn up some reason why Gina/Troy would suddenly murder her husband/brother. As if living as husband and wife while being brothers wasn't strange enough. Looking up at the knock, he saw Skeeter standing in his doorway, back from the second search.

"They have enough video tapes to open a Blockbuster," Skeeter said without preamble. "Probably one that isn't kid friendly though."  
"Anything else turn up?"

"Oh yeah," Skeeter replied ominously settling into a chair. "I'm not sure that it pertains to the case, but they had all kinds of kinky toys lying around, as well as photographs with the faces cut out. And a scrapbook from Fort Lauderdale, that looks like it's full of family pictures. Lots of them from a pier, with two little boys."

"Max said something about a pier," Jimmy replied, thinking of his hospitalized deputy. "And Judge Campbell fell from one… I've been doing this too long to have that be a coincidence."

"Want me to look into it?" Skeeter asked, noting the empty office. "Where are Max and Kenny today?"

Jimmy sighed knowing that the three of them had gotten quite friendly in the last few years. "They haven't told many people yet, but Max is almost three months pregnant… she almost miscarried last night."

"Everyone okay?" Skeeter asked, concerned.

Jimmy nodded. "It seems that way, she's going home this morning and they're both shook up over it."

"I'll keep it to myself then," Skeeter replied. "They can't catch a break, can they?"

**55555555555555**

It's too quiet, Kenny thought as he pulled the truck into the driveway that same morning looking sideways at Max. That's never a good sign, as he shut of the engine. Knowing they had to hash this thing out, Kenny promised himself that they would both keep themselves calm. No way was he going to cause his wife that much physical pain again. Being a gentleman, he opened the door for her, and helped her down to the ground. Kenny was reluctant to let go of her because he didn't know if she would be his to touch much longer.

"You still feel alright?" he asked anxiously.

"I'm not made of glass," Max replied without much vigor because her legs still felt a little shaky. "I'm alright."

Kenny regarded her with skepticism, knowing she was likely to fight him if he pushed her on it, but he also didn't want her to over exert herself after last night. "You look like you're going to pass out, here lean on me."

Max hesitated, before settling against him, as they made their way to the house.

**55555555555555**

"Wow," Skeeter said viewing the tapes. "Shit. Are they all like this?"

"We're going to find out," Jimmy replied tearing his eyes from the screen. "I can say I've never seen that before."

The dates on the tapes went back twenty years, and when Jimmy, Skeeter and Pete viewed the first one, it was of the esteemed Judge Campbell and his two sons in bed together. Jimmy felt sick in watching it, and as it faded to black he was reluctant to see the next one. Those poor kids he thought, and the thought of watching them go through that at all stages of life nauseated him. Reaching for tape two, he looked at the other men as he began to play it.

"Couldn't we just skip ahead a few years?" Pete asked. "There have to be over a hundred tapes, or work our way backwards?"

"We will," Jimmy said stoically. "Let's just see where these people came from first."

**55555555555555**

"I'm ready to listen now," Max said as she sat down slowly on the couch. "Whatever it was last night… I just need to know."

"You sure?" Kenny asked slowly. "I don't want anything else to happen."  
"I think it was everything of late, and the shock of seeing… that made it all come to head," Max said quietly. "Please don't lie to me… I need to know."

Kenny joined her on the other couch, both of them avoiding looking the one Kimberly jumped him on and he wisely kept his distance from her. He didn't know how he could go on without her, and he didn't want anything more badly then to erase the last 24 hours.

"Okay. Kimberly stopped by, just to visit," Kenny began. "We were talking, and she wanted to know what would have happened if we… continued after that week of almost dating." He paused, watching for a reaction, but getting nothing from her. "I told her it wasn't meant to happen, and that I loved my wife, you… she just went kind of crazy, and jumped on top. Shit, Max, I didn't see it coming… and I pushed her off. Not as fast as I should have, but… it surprised me. I never though Kim would do that, and it was nothing. You're the only woman I want."

Max processed what he told her, and knew it was the same as what he said last night. And she believed him, she knew him to well to believe that he would hurt her like that. Seeing the pleading in his eyes, she struggled to respond.

"I," Max faltered, feeling the tears stinging in her eyes, and blaming them on her escalating hormones. "I do believe you… it hurt."

Kenny brushed her tears away, and looked at her beautiful face. "We going to be okay?"

Max nodded, not trusting her voice, and they moved closer together. Leaning up against him, she settled into his lap. Kenny pulled her in tighter, and kissed her lightly on the temple.

****

Jimmy switched off the television, feeling sick and turned to Skeeter and Pete. "That's enough for now. She, he, has plenty of motive for killing her father, but we still don't know about why she would suddenly kill Kurt. I want to look into the pier incident, I know Max started too. We'll finish with the videos later. I personally need a break from them."

Skeeter nodded in agreement, knowing that he wanted to go check up on Max. "I'll finish with the pier report, and it still feels like we're missing a piece of the puzzle."

"It'll turn up," Jimmy said reluctantly. "Pete, go through the scrapbook and journals that you found, and anything that looks pertinent, let me know."

Pete knew he was being dismissed, and was still resentful of being left out of the loop with his co-workers. He knew Jimmy had a real soft spot for Max, Kenny, and more recently Skeeter.

"Sure, fine," he said without much emotion. "I'll let you know."

Jimmy turned back to Skeeter as Pete walked out. "You want to take a ride with me?"

"Yeah," Skeeter said, thinking of his friends. "Lets get out of here."

**55555555555555555**

"What are we going to tell Jimmy?" Max asked later, feeling content in Kenny's arms. "He'll flip if we tell him the truth."

"He wouldn't believe it anyway," Kenny said, just happy that she did. "And we don't owe anyone an explanation, these things just happen sometimes."

"Come on, you know people are going to ask a lot of questions in this town," Max replied softly, as a knock came at the door. "I think it's just starting…"

"It's open," Kenny called. "We should probably start locking that, with all the crazies out there…"

"You two look cozy," Skeeter said looking at the cuddling couple. "How is everything?"

Seeing Jimmy come up behind him, they knew that Skeeter knew of the recent events, and Max felt Kenny squeeze her hand underneath the blanket on the couch. Reluctant to move from that spot, they both sat up slightly but Kenny wasn't about to let go of Max after almost losing her.

"Everything is fine," Max replied. "So is everybody. It was one of those things."

"It didn't have anything to do with the case, did it?" Jimmy asked, knowing they were having personal issues about it, and it made him feel guilty for pushing Max on so much.

Kenny shook his head. "Hell, we fight all the time, it wasn't anything important."

Jimmy could tell by their voices that they weren't being totally honest with him, but he let it go. He knew from experience that when either of them had their mind set on something, it was like arguing with a brick wall. And he did his best to stay out their personal life, even though he still thought of them both as his honorary kids sometimes.

"Congrats then," Skeeter said sincerely taking a seat. "I wish I found out under better terms… but it's great news. Shocked em a bit, but congratulations."

"It seemed to shock everybody," Kenny said dryly. "Us included."

"Do you know what it is?"

"I'm pretty sure it's a baby," Max said, knowing what he meant. "But in Rome, you never know."

"I think he meant the sex," Jimmy interjected. "But a valid point."

"Not yet, we're going for the surprise," Kenny finished. "At least for now."

"Take a few days off, both of you," Jimmy said sternly. "Max, I don't want to see you until next week."

"But."

"No, buts," Jimmy interrupted. "When he starts to drive you nuts, kick his butt back to the station."

Max wisely held her tongue, as Kenny squeeze her gently around the waist. "That shouldn't take too long."

"I missed you both today," Skeeter said, knowing they wanted to change the subject. "We found a lot of video tapes at the Campbells."

"Videos," Max asked, knowing about the tapes the Judge Campbell made of his children.

Jimmy and Skeeter filled them in, as the afternoon went on.

**55555555555555555**

"So we still don't have a motive," Max said, sitting cross legged on their bed, wearing one of Kenny's old tee-shirts, as he came out of the bathroom.

"You're not supposed to be doing this now."

"No, I'm not supposed to be going to work," Max argued as he joined her on the bed. "I would love to know what she told Jen in the private counseling sessions."

"So much for confidentiality," Kenny replied pulling the covers back. "What are you thinking?"

"Something Gina, Troy, whatever we're calling her now, said in the group sessions… I can't put my finger on it. She talked about going to all these clubs, and I don't know. I always thought she was a lesbian… I don't know why… I guess if she was once a man, she wouldn't be considered one though? Why would she get a sex change?" Max said, knowing that she was babbling. "I really don't know what I'm talking about. Her fingerprints…"

"What about them?"

"If we couldn't find them in the database of female prints, no one else probably could either. There a man's prints… so what if she got the sex change to hide her identity? If they left Fort Lauderdale after their father was dead, who would she want to hide from?"

"Do you think that they killed him?" Kenny asked slowly. "He fell from a pier… through a board."

"It was classified as an accident," Max rationalized. "And Kurt and Troy were each others alibis… it seems too neat to me."

"Let's say they killed him," Kenny began, getting into this. "Or that she/he did, would she/he kill Kurt so he wouldn't tell? Why would he after 15 years?"

"Or maybe she wanted to tell, to get if off her chest, and he didn't. No one wants to admit that they murdered someone," Max replied. "It could be unrelated too, what if one of them just wanted a life away from the other. They were siblings after all, and Kurt could have met someone else… I could see Gina, Troy, snapping over being left like that."

"No girlfriend came forward though, and there wasn't any evidence of one for him," Kenny replied. "Could Gina be covering for someone?"

"I doubt it," Max replied yawning. "She is scared of something though."

"Enough for now," Kenny said seeing the exhaustion on her face. "You need to rest. Don't even think of arguing with me."

Max didn't, and she let him toss the comforter over her. Settling back against the pillows, all she wanted to do was sleep but this case was irking her. Kenny climbed in next to her, and pulled her in tight against him. Max tilted her head up to his, and he kissed her softly.

"Enough for tonight," he repeated, as the phone rang. "It's 11… what now?"

"Swarm of killer bees," Max suggested, reaching for the phone. "Hello? Oh, hi Pete."

Kenny ran his hand down her back, and thought about the guy's crush on her. Not that he was jealous or anything.

"No," Max said, as she realized that the whole office probably knew that she was pregnant now. "Yeah, it was one of those strange things that just happened. Thanks for asking though."

Kenny watched her roll back over one her back, and shoot him a tired look. "Listen, it's kind of late Pete, and I'm exhausted… I'll see you next week."

She listened for a bit, and finally added. "Bye."

"Pete," Kenny asked. "I'm sure he's missed you lately."

Max grinned at him, as he kissed her again. Snuggling up close to him, she let herself drift off to sleep.

**55555555555555555**

"She didn't say anything?" Kim asked Pete as he hung up. "Neither of them told my parents anything about the other night?"

"No," Pete replied. "She said it was one of those things. They probably didn't want to hurt your parents, I know that they're all friends. So what now?"

Kim shrugged. "I've got some tests next week, but I'll come home next weekend. I really want to be with Kenny, and I know you've got a crush on Max. We can work with this."

Pete studied the young woman in front of him, and he hoped that he might get a chance with that beautiful red head he worked with. He couldn't believe that she was nine years his senior, she looked barely 25. He didn't like the fact that he was going to help break up a marriage, but he rationalized that if they could break it up, it wasn't as solid as it appeared.

"Jimmy gave her the rest of the week off, but I'm sure I can think of some excuse to stop by," Pete said. "I'll work in it while you're at school."

"Great," Kim said, planning for the future.

**55555555555555555**

"What are you doing here?" Gina whispered to the figure standing in front of her cell door. "You're not supposed to be here! What if someone sees you?"

"They won't," the figure responded, brushing her cheek. "Oh, my love, you'll be free soon. Just as long as you keep your end of our deal. They still have no idea about us."

"And they won't," Gina promised. "Kurt didn't understand that I needed more then he could give me. He was my brother, he shouldn't have had to be my lover too. I love you."

"This will all be over soon," the figure said backing up. "I had to see you though. I'll be back soon, remember not to say anything."

Gina watched her lover depart, and vowed that nothing would come between them again. Leaning back against her bunk she smiled in the darkness, knowing that the Rome Sheriff Department had only scratched the surface of her secrets.


	6. Suspicions

"Max was stuck on this a few nights ago," Kenny told Jimmy a few days later, after she had told him that if he didn't stop coddling her she was going to scream. "We flipped through a dozen scenarios of why Troy would get a sex change, why he/she would kill Kurt, and how it is all connected together."

"Did you come up with anything?" Jimmy asked as they stood in his office.

Kenny shook his head. "Yeah, but nothing that made too much sense. And nothing that we could prove. We're just spinning our wheels on this one."

"What about their father?" Jimmy asked. "I know the report says accident, but it seems coincidental that he would be killed that way especially after the way he treated his kids."

"You sound like Max," Kenny replied. "She thinks, and I agree with her on this one, that either Gina/Troy or Kurt killed him, and then she/he had a sex change to change her identity. Then she/he killed Kurt so he wouldn't talk about it, and so Gina/Troy could live her life free of him."

"No proof," Jimmy sighed. "And Wambaugh has enough reasonable doubt to have her walk."

"And Max's testimony is just hearsay," Kenny finished. "What about the shrinks? They have to say something about her mental condition; we all know the woman is crazy."

"We go to trial soon," Jimmy said. "We're going to keep digging into their past, and hopefully it'll give us enough leverage, although the fact that the sex change operation didn't…"

Kenny nodded in agreement, and he knew that this one was slipping away from them.

**66666666666**

"Pete," Max said opening the door, surprised. "Hi. What are you doing here?"

Play it cool, Pete thought to himself, as he looked at the casually rumpled woman standing in front of him. Clad in terry cloth sweat pants and a blue tank top, Pete could hardly believe she was almost 32 years old and three months pregnant. With her red hair pulled back, and her face scrubbed clean of make-up, Pete decided that she could pass for his age.

He shrugged. "I just wanted to stop by, I heard about your recent stay in the hospital… I didn't know you were pregnant, but I'm glad that you're all right."

"We weren't telling anybody yet," Max replied, letting him inside. "But I guess the secret is out."

"You're okay?"

"Yup. Both of us," Max replied, placing her hand on her flat belly. "It scared me though."

I'll bet, he thought remembering the scene that Kim had described. He couldn't see Max taking in the scene of her husband and bosses daughter necking on the couch too well, but from talking to Kenny at work and Max now, everything seemed normal. Pete guessed that almost bleeding to death, and losing a baby, might cause the two of them to work it out.

"Well, I'm glad," Pete replied truthfully. "You look good. Real good."

"Uh, huh," Max replied, her radar going up, sensing something weird here. Taking a tentative step away from him, she smiled nervously. "Do you want anything to drink? Or eat? I'm not much of a cook, but I haven't poisoned anyone yet."

"Thanks, but I'm fine," Pete replied. "Thought you might want some company, I know Kenny went to the station today."

"He was driving me nuts," Max admitted. "I love him, but he was hovering a little too much. I was ready to throttle him yesterday."

"Why?"

"Oh, I can't even remember," Max replied honestly. "Something stupid, I'm sure."

"Do you two fight a lot?"  
Max shrugged. "We bicker… and antagonize each other… at least every other day. I think it's conducive to the relationship."

Pete thought to what Kimberly had told him about these two before replying. "Is that healthy? I don't mean to pry, but my parents fought all the time and it wasn't that pleasant to grow up in. They get divorced after I went to college, and I know that both of them are happier now. Sometimes I wish they hadn't waited."

Max stared at him for an instant, and tried to shake a nagging suspicion out of her mind. Filing it to discuss with Kenny later, she replied slowly. "Really? Why?"  
"I think everyone would have been better off, even they say that. Too many people stay together for the sake of their kids," Pete declared, watching Max's pale expression. "And they never get to have the life that they deserve. And kids know when their parents are unhappy."

"Well, life has had its ups and downs of late," Max rationalized. "But I'm happy. We both are. Usually."

"Well if you say so," Pete said standing seeing the doubt chase across her face. "I actually have to get to work. I'll see you next week?"

"Sure," Max nodded, giving him a weak smile.

**66666666666**

"Someone else was there that night," Carter proclaimed, storming into Jimmy's office. "There is a third DNA sample, that isn't part of the Campbell family."

"Are you sure?" Jimmy asked, motioning Kenny and Skeeter inside and shutting the door. "Carter?"

"Positive," the Medical Examiner replied. "There was a third person there. Blood from the floor and skin from under the nails do not belong to the Campbell family."

"They didn't have relationships with many other people," Kenny said, thinking of what his wife had told them. "If someone helped her kill Kurt, it's probably a short list."

"Do we know anyone on it though?" Skeeter added. "Everyone we talked to barely knew their names, and besides the people that Kurt worked with and the abuse victims in that group, who else would she trust?"

"Would Max know anyone else?" Jimmy ventured to Kenny. "I know she's been over this a lot, but has she mentioned anything else?"

"No," Kenny replied, feeling a little uncomfortable around any of the Brocks recently. "She's been digging through this for awhile now, and I believe her when she says she doesn't know anything else."

"What about that counselor woman?" Carter asked. "The one you two went to see? I know she isn't this department's biggest fan, but she has to know something."

"It's worth a shot," Jimmy conceded turning to Kenny. "Let's go take a ride."

**66666666666**

"Max?" Kenny called later that night. "You here?"

"Where else?" she shouted back from the upstairs bathroom, after getting out of the shower. "Hold on, I'm drying off. I've got something to run by you."

The idea of his wet, naked, wife highly appealing, Kenny climbed the stairs to their bathroom and rapped gently before poking his head in.

"Enjoying the view?" Max asked with a wide grin, not surprised to see him in there. Adjusting the short towel so it wouldn't fall down, Max wrapped her arms around him and kissed him softly. Kenny stroked her damp hair, and kissed her neck as she laughed. Holding her in the steamy room, he began to think of all the things they could do in there. She kissed him again before regretfully pulling away because she knew she had to talk to him about some stuff. Cocking her head to the side, Max had to admit he looked damn good in that uniform, and she woke up feeling horny today. Hormones, she thought, must be the hormones.

"What?" Kenny asked, knowing the look in her eyes. "Max?"

"I had the weirdest conversation today," she replied. "And it got me thinking."

"Really? You should have heard the one Jimmy and I had with your counselor friend Jen," Kenny replied. "She doesn't like you very much, and I don't think Jimmy and me rank to high either."

"Why'd you go to see her?" Max asked curious.

"To find out about any friends are victim and murderer might have had. Carter found a third DNA type today," Kenny informed her. "And they didn't have too many friends. Especially ones that they would trust with murder."

"Who does?" Max replied. "What happened?"

"She kicked us out, and told us that you, as well as our department, ruined her clinic's reputation. And she was thinking of suing," Kenny replied, trying not to be distracted by the towel. "Do you mind putting some clothes on? I can't think with you looking like that."

Grinning, she wrapped it more tightly around herself and leaned up against the counter. "Really? She's going to sue? Does Wambaugh know?"

He shook his head, and tried to control himself. "Don't know. She's about as close as anyone to Gina, or Troy, or whatever we're calling her, him, lately."

"It? Like this guy," Max replied, pointing to her stomach, as Kenny advanced towards her. "What are you doing?"

Shrugging. "I was thinking about making out with my wife, who isn't hiding anything by wearing this towel."

"Who says I was trying to hide?" Max asked flippantly as his arms circled her waist. "Hey, wait a second. I've got to tell you about my conversation with Pete, it kind of freaked me out."

"Pete? Your partner Pete? The one that stares at your ass?"

"He doesn't stare at my ass, and he stopped by earlier," Max began, and she filled him in on her conversation with Pete as Kenny stood in silence. "Weird, huh? It got me thinking about something."

"So, he told you to get a divorce," Kenny asked slowly. "Is that what you're getting at?"

"Not in so many words," Max replied, seeing the anger in his eyes. "Don't be pissed at him. I just think it's odd though…"

"What?" Kenny asked, trying to control his temper.

Max paused for a second, trying to think of the best way to phrase this. "Well, Kim came by a few nights ago, and we both know what happened then… And as you so eloquently put it, Pete stares at my ass…"

"You think that they're in on it together," Kenny finished for her. "You're serious? Do they even know each other?"

"From school, he was a few years ahead of her," Max confirmed. "I know it's far fetched, but this is Rome Kenny."

Kenny had a gut feeling that Max might be right about this, and he didn't like the way that the younger man looked at her when she wasn't looking. If he wanted one thing more then anything else, it was to keep Max safe. Seeing her crippled on the floor and bleeding the other night was something he knew would be burned into his memory forever.

"So, what do you want to do about it?" he asked finally.

Max shrugged. "I want to wrap up this murder trial first, then why don't we check it out?"  
"My first priority is you and our baby," Kenny replied seriously. "And I don't want you working with someone who is out to hurt you."

"He's not going to hurt me," Max insisted, holding her towel up awkwardly.

"Isn't that what we thought about Danny?" Kenny replied before he could stop himself, and Max recoiled like he slapped her. "Shit, Max. I didn't mean it like that."

"That's not fair," Max stammered.

Kenny hated the hurt he put on her face, and he reached up to stroke her cheek. "Hey, I meant… hell I don't know what I meant. You just seem to attract a lot of odd men. Besides me."

"Midgets, transvestites, obsessive controlling murdering rapists," Max replied, trying to keep her voice light, and pushing past him into the bedroom. "What about you? Twins, an older woman, and that whole parade of females that I watched for years."

"So? We finally found a relationship that works," Kenny countered, joining her on the bed. "Face it, Honey

, we're stuck with each other. There's no one else who could put up with us."

Despite herself, Max smiled at him and he kissed her on the top of her head. "Okay, okay. Can we sleep on it tonight? I don't think that this problem is going anywhere."

"Fine," Kenny agreed, tracing her collarbone, as she melted against him at his touch.

**66666666666**

This is going to drive me crazy, Max thought to herself after being back at work for a few days. Is this how everyone is going to treat me for the next six months? I'll scream really. It did take me an extra couple of seconds to button my pants this morning, but please. Ignoring the stares, Max joined Jimmy and Skeeter for the rest of the kinky video display.

"You up for this?" Jimmy asked her.

"I'm sure I've seen worse," Max countered. "I'm not going to fall apart after watching a few X-rated videos."

She'd been avoiding Pete all day, and Max decided a few hours of pornographic movies was better then digging into her suspicions about that at the moment. Knowing that Kenny was out on patrol, she was a little apprehensive about being alone with Pete. Joining Skeeter on the couch, she waited for Jimmy to start the movie. She didn't know exactly what they were looking for, but Max was determined to find it. Jimmy slipped on the VCR and slid behind his desk as the images filled the screen.

**66666666666**

"Pete."

"Kenny."

The two men eyed each other warily in the back hallway, and Kenny was doing his best to hold his temper in check. He had hoped that Kim and Pete weren't messing with them, but in observing the younger man, Kenny had his doubts. Nervousness chased across Pete's face, and he was poised for flight. Kenny sighed inwardly, and knew that Pete didn't stand a chance with Max. She would eat him alive. Still he didn't like the fact that he was hitting on her, and he wasn't about to be nice about it.

"Max said you stopped by the other day," Kenny said casually breaking the silence first. "She's had a rough time of it of late."

"I thought she might want someone objective to talk to," Pete replied quickly.

Kenny had to suppress a grin at his discomfort, before continuing. "Objective, huh? About what?"

"Things," Pete said defensively, knowing he'd slipped there. "I like to think that we're friends, and my opinion matters to her somewhat. I just wanted to be there."

"Right," Kenny said sarcastically. "She almost miscarried our baby, and did she tell you why? Or did you already know?"  
Kenny saw all he needed to know at Pete's shock at his question. He took a step back from him, as Pete struggled to collect himself.

"I thought so," Kenny confirmed. "Whatever is going on, stop it. Jimmy's a good friend to both Max and me, and the last thing we want to do is tell him anything that can hurt him. And believe me this will."

Leaving the flabbergasted deputy standing in the hallway, Kenny went off to find Max.

**66666666666**

"I can't watch anymore of this. Put aside the fact that they're related, I didn't know that was physically possible," Skeeter declared, after they watched the recent tapes. "Do you think that they took yoga?"

Max shook her head. "They certainly are flexible, but this isn't getting us anywhere. So what if they have sex tapes dating back to their childhood… we know that both of them were screwed up from that…. Oh shit, look at that."

The three turned back to the screen, as a familiar figure came into view. Max felt shocked, utterly shocked, although she shouldn't have had. She nearly fell out of her chair, and she couldn't believe what she was seeing.

"Are you kidding me?" Jimmy sputtered, as the carnal acts continued. "My god, what the hell is wrong with these people? Hell. Max, bring Gina into the interrogation room, and Skeeter, take a team and go find her. This sheds some light on some things. An affair is certainly a motive for murder."

"Max," Kenny called as she came out of Jimmy's office, looking somewhat disgusted. "You look like you're going to hurl."

"Not yet," she replied as she pushed the images out of her mind. "I thought you were out of here by now."

"Nah," he said. "Where you heading in such a hurry?"

"To interrogate Gina again, and we just found her motive," Max replied feeling relieved at that. "She had a secret lover."

"Kenny," Jimmy called coming out of his office and walking over towards them, knowing that Max had probably just filled him in. "Go on with Skeeter to pick her up, while Max and I talk with Gina again."

Kenny shot one last look at Max, knowing he had to tell her about Pete, but merely nodded. "Sure. It's about time we got somewhere on this."  
Max watched him go reluctantly, and she knew as difficult as it was that they had to keep their private and professional lives separate. Following Jimmy down to the cell block, she knew that they could finally break Gina.

"Look who is back," Gina said shooting them an evil look.

"Not surprised?" Max asked, as Jimmy led her to the room.

"No."

"We found your video tape collection," Jimmy said without preamble. "And we've watched them all."

"You and your brother are certainly entertaining," Max continued. "But I really enjoyed the part with your secret lover."

Gina suck in a breath, and deep down she had believe that no one would ever find those tapes. "Please leave her out of this, she didn't do anything wrong! It was all me, understand."

"An affair is a good motive," Jimmy replied. "And we're dragging her down here, right now."

Max felt a strange sense of déjà vu, and if what she was putting together made any sense to anyone else, it seemed like history repeating itself on a grander scale.

"Please," Gina begged. "I'll tell you everything, just don't bring her into this. I love her, I did it so we could be together. Kurt didn't understand! He was my brother, he shouldn't have had to be my husband too! I'd hid everything for so long, I just wanted to be me again, and he couldn't understand that!"

Max and Jimmy waited in silence for Gina to continue. "He threatened me… Max you know what that's like. To have someone holding all that power over you, and finally fighting back. He was just like our father, evil, and all he wanted to do was hurt me. You'd have killed him too, I know you would have."

Max shook her head in disbelief. "There were places you could have gone"

Gina cut her off. "Then everyone would have known! I just wanted to be free! I know Kurt wanted to keep me locked up forever, and this was my only way out! He wanted everyone to know what happened to Dad! The pictures of us throwing his drunken body off the pier…"

"You killed your father?" Max asked in disbelief.

Gina shook her head. "I want my lawyer."

"You need him," Jimmy replied, motioning Max out of the room. They stood outside the closed door in a still silence for a moment before he continued. "You think she's being straight with us?"

"I want to see the rest of tapes… they seemed to have cameras all over that house, maybe they picked up the murder," Max replied thoughtfully. "I have no doubts that she killed Kurt, and apparently her father, but I don't think she did it alone, or is entirely responsible for it."

"You care to explain that?"

"It may just be my personal experience," Max began. "But a therapist or a counselor has a lot of influence on a person, and it's a deep relationship. I know that. But if they had an intimate relationship… don't you think that Jen might have had some sway here? Especially if she wanted to be with Gina? She knew all her insecurities and could have played them until the point of convincing her to commit murder."

"You're not being objective, Max."

"I know."

"But it makes some warped sort of sense," Jimmy finished. "Let's wait to see what Jen has to say."

Max nodded, as he went to call Wambaugh. Leaving Gina to contemplate her future, Max slid back behind her desk, and began to think. She couldn't help but draw parallels between Gina and herself, and it scared her on a deep level. Gina had a terrible relationship with her entire family, and Max was still somewhat bitter that her Dad hadn't come to her wedding. They both had trust issues, she thought, and had been sexually abused and raped. And they both had relationships with their therapists, only I got out before I did anything irreparable Max thought, barely. And Danny never caused me to kill anyone. Feeling a little shaken, Max tried to remind herself that the world didn't revolve around her, and it was just some big coincidence.

**66666666666**

"This case is nuts Max, completely," Kenny said later that night, as they sat on the back porch.

"Yeah," she agreed quietly, feeling quite comfortable with his arms wrapped around her. "Kenny?"

"Max."

Max tried to clear her head, and put into words what she was thinking about earlier, before they brought in an incredulous Jen Davis, who insisted that she did nothing wrong. They had no choice but to let her go, until something else came up.

Sighing she replied. "I can't help this… after Jimmy and I talked to Gina today… I just felt like it could have been me in there. And it frightens me to think like that."

"You're a transvestite lesbian, who lived as her brother's wife and killed him and your father?" Kenny asked, trying to lighten her up after feeling her body tense up.

"I'm serious," Max replied as he massaged her shoulders. "We both were raped, had bad relationships with our fathers, and we both slept with our therapists… it just hits close to home."

"You didn't kill anyone though. That's a big difference."

"Yeah, but I keep thinking of the control that Danny had over me during our relationship, and the manipulations he caused. I think he could have made me do anything, and if Jen had that power over Gina… who knows what happened," Max said quietly. "Jimmy told me I wasn't being objective, and I'll admit that, but even he said it had some warped logic to it."

"Max," Kenny began sensing her fear of herself. "I know you, and believe me when I tell you that you would never kill anyone, except out of self defense. You got away from Danny, twice, and just because Gina couldn't get away from her Danny, doesn't mean she isn't responsible for this."

"I know that," Max replied defensively. "It's just that… I don't know. She's just so messed up…"

"That'll never be you," Kenny promised, kissing the top of her head. "I talked to Pete today. And I think you're right."

"He looked kind of pale this afternoon, and he all but ran away from me," Max replied. grateful for the change of subject. "What did you say to him?"  
Kenny shrugged. "Nothing just scared the shit out of him."

"I just want some peace and quiet sometimes," Max replied. "No crazy serial killers, wouldn't it be nice to just lie on a beach somewhere?"

"You'd be bored."

"Probably."

**66666666666**

Jen Davis paced through her living room, while fingering a manila envelope full of pictures. She had searched Gina and Kurt's home right after Gina's arrest and never found the tapes. Jen knew that they liked to tape everything, and she feared that the murder might be on the tape, as well as other things. Flipping through the pictures of her and Gina in bed together, Jen cursed her bad luck.

"Should have never gotten involved with a patient," she muttered to herself, trying to bury her feelings for Gina. "Dumb-asses who video it all."

Knowing that they might have gotten away with it if it wasn't for Max. She knew Gina's history to well, and Jen was shocked that she never knew that she was a police officer. Jen collapsed on the couch and began to plan a way to rectify this situation.


	7. Accusations

"How did they figure it out?" Kim asked Pete, exasperated.

Pete shrugged. "They're not stupid people, and they can put two and two together. I don't want to hurt anyone here Kim, I think both of them are in this for the long haul. I'm not in love with Max, it's a crush that's all… If they're happy, why can't you just let them be?"  
"Because it should be me," Kim lamented. "If Kenny loves her so much, why did it take them almost 10 years to get married?"

"I don't know. Relationships take time to build Kim, and that is what makes them strong. Two people just don't jump into marriage without knowing each other. Things happen for a reason, and I could tell by talking to Kenny that there was no way he letting anyone get in between them. God, she almost miscarried their baby… I don't want to be responsible for that."

"I think Kenny and I could have something special," Kim continued, ignoring him.

"He already does," Pete said truthfully. "Kim, drop it. You're a beautiful young woman, and you shouldn't be chasing after a married man who is ten years your senior."

"You won't help me?"

Pete shook his head. "They're good people, and whatever you're planning to do, count me out."

Kim stared at him, as he turned and walked back to his car. Pete felt terrible for what he had told Max the other day, and he wanted to make amends with the Lacos'.

**77777777777777**

"Hmm, right there. Harder, ah, bliss," Max moaned as Kenny massaged her shoulders.

Kenny eyed the faint curve beginning to show in her stomach, as he touched her. He stroked her hair, and pulled her onto his lap. He couldn't get her words from a few days ago out of his mind, and he knew that she was worried about the case and herself. Kenny decided that he would do anything to make her see she wasn't anything like Gina, and that she wasn't capable of behaving like that. He laid his hand on her stomach, and leaned in to kiss her as the doorbell rang.

"Peace and quiet, right," Max asked, as she sat up a bit.

"Never," Kenny said kissing her quickly. "We're just so popular around here."

"Let's ignore it," Max suggested, as they detangled themselves from each other. "It's probably a Jehovah's Witness."

The bell rang again, and Max pulled her shirt back down. Straightening out her fleece pants, she wrapped her arms back around her husband's waist as he stood.

"Max," he said seeing the mischievous light in her eyes, as the bell rang for a third time. "I don't think that they're going to leave."

"We've got to start closing the garage," Max replied grinning and stepping back. "Go on. I can wait."

Kenny eyed his wife, and wanted to toss her across the couch. Instead, he threw open the kitchen door and wished that he hadn't.

"You again," he asked Pete Hunter. "Didn't I tell you to get lost?"

"Yeah," Pete said seeing the look in his eye. "I just want to… can I just talk to you guys for a few minutes?"

"Why?"  
"I just want to explain," Pete replied quickly knowing he was getting no where. "Please? I wouldn't have come here if I wasn't being legit."

Kenny eyed the man warily for a second, and he heard Max come up behind him. Glancing back at her, she saw that he was pissed and doing his best not to slug Pete. Laying her hand on his arm, she gave Pete a once over.

"I just want to explain," Pete repeated to her. "I don't want to hurt anybody."

"Explain what?" Max asked.

"What you both already know," Pete replied his nerves shot. "And apologize for it. I don't know how it happened, but it all sort of spun out of control."

Max and Kenny exchanged a look, and Kenny shrugged. Max sighed, and beckoned him inside. Shutting the door behind him, he saw the doubtful expressions on both of their faces, and he knew that he would have a lot of work to convince them of his intentions.

"I'd have preferred a Jehovah's Witness," Kenny said, as Max tried not to smile before he turned to Pete. "Talk."

Pete could see why they had made a formidable team by watching them at that moment, and he knew that he had no chance with Max at that point. Kenny had his arm wrapped around her shoulders, and she leaned casually against him.

"Okay," he said. "You're right. Max, I have a huge crush on you. You're beautiful, intelligent, kind… you're the type of woman I want to be with. Kimberly came to me awhile ago because she knew how I felt. She wants to be with you Kenny, I don't know if it's some school girl crush gone crazy or something else. She thought that if we worked together, we could both get what we want."

Pete took a deep breath, and waited for a response from one of them. After getting nothing but cold stares he continued nervously. "The other day, when I told you about my parents Max… they're still together… Kim told me a lot about you two, and we thought it could be used to our advantage. I'm an ass for doing it, and I can't apologize enough."

"You are an ass," Max agreed, feeling sorry for him and pissed at Kim.

"Why are you telling us this now?" Kenny asked suspiciously.

Pete shook his head, "I don't want to break up a marriage where the two people are obviously happy and meant to be together. Kim, I'm not to sure about. I think she needs therapy or something because she's a little obsessive about this. Anything I can do to make this up to you guys… please let me know. Max, if you want a new partner I'll understand."

Max saw Pete's honest emotions on his face, and she knew that he felt terrible about all of this. Looking up at Kenny, she knew that he wasn't as convinced as she was about it. She knew how protective he could be, and the last thing that Max wanted was for him to blow up at Pete.

"Okay," Max said finally. "Pete thanks for telling us the truth. I don't know what to do about Kim though. She's Jimmy and Jill's daughter."

"Yeah," Pete agreed, still feeling Kenny's icy stare. "I'll go now… thanks for listening to me."

"You believe him," Kenny said, as Pete drove off.

Max nodded. "He didn't have to come here, and tell us all of that. Did you see his face? I don't think Pete could have faked that."

"Probably not," Kenny conceded. "What now?"  
"They'll never believe us about Kim," Max said quietly. "She's their daughter, and I can't believe that she would do something like this."

Kenny shook his head. "Me either… it was four years ago. Why now?"

**7777777777777777**

"Initial tests show that Jen Davis' blood type matches the sample from the scene," Carter said. "So there is a strong possibility that she was there."  
"Trial starts in a few weeks," Jimmy replied. "How long before you know for sure?"  
"The lab will let me know in two, if I put a rush on it," Carter nodded. "But it might be enough to make her confess."

"That woman has the blood of a reptile," Jimmy replied dryly. "I want her cold Carter. I know she had a part in this."

"How big of one?"

Jimmy thought to what Max had said the other day before responding slowly, "I'm not sure, but this woman was her therapist and the person who helped her build a life again. She has to have some sort of sway here."

"But she's not talking," Carter finished.

"Not yet," Jimmy said, waving Kenny in. "Have a seat. Where's the wife?"

"On patrol," Kenny replied. "What's going on?"

"We went through the rest of the tapes, and the murder isn't there," Jimmy informed him. "But the blood tests should be back soon."

"So we're stuck again," Kenny asked, wanting this whole thing to be over. He knew it was eating Max up on the inside, and it hurt him to watch that. "She admitted to murdering both of them Jimmy, isn't that enough? We have a motive and physical evidence. This woman, or man, whatever is nuts. She's either going to jail or a mental hospital. Wambaugh can't stop that."

"I don't like the idea of a counselor who might have convinced her patient to murder someone," Jimmy replied calmly. "Who knows who else she might do that too, or has done. Jen Davis works with abused women who want their lives back. Is there a better way then killing the person who hurt you to begin with?"

"So let's drag her back down here, and get it out of her," Kenny replied. "The blood types match, and she has a motive. We've got her Jimmy. She had Gina kill Kurt, so that they could be together. It doesn't get much simpler then that."

"I don't want this one to get away," Jimmy replied thoughtfully. "And we're doing it by the book. We've got a tail on Dr. Davis, so she's not going anywhere. Carter, I want you to look at the body again, see if there is any physical evidence on it linking it to her."

Carter nodded, excited. "I'll get right on it."

Jimmy watched him leave before turning back to Kenny. He had noted both Kenny and Max's nerves around him lately, and Jimmy didn't like not knowing what was going on between them. Ever since Max had almost miscarried, they had both had avoided him unless they had to speak to him.

"What's going on here?" Jimmy asked finally. "No secrets, Kenny, I've told you that before."

"What do you mean?" Kenny asked, knowing he was referring to his and Max's relationship with him of late. "I don't have any secrets."

"Would you rather I ask Max?" Jimmy replied. "I don't know what's going on, but I don't like it. When my deputies go out of their way not to speak to me, I want to know why. The lack of respect from you two lately is intolerable."

"It's not disrespect," Kenny replied lamely. "Jimmy, it's just some personal stuff. Nothing really."

"You both told me that you would keep all personal issues out of here," Jimmy replied. "If it effects your work, it stays home."

"We know that," Kenny said, wanting to tell him about it all. "It's just that… Hell, with everything that has been going on lately, Max almost losing the baby, this case is causing her a headache. She thinks this could be her, and when she said that, it scared the shit out of me. We've both got a lot on our plates right now, and if we've been disrespectful, sorry. It's not intentional."

"That's it?" Jimmy said doubtfully, knowing that he wasn't getting the full story from Kenny.

"Yup," Kenny replied, knowing how Jimmy would react if he had told him what really happened that night. "Talk to Max if you want, we're not hiding anything from you."

"I'll do that."

**77777777777777**

Jen Davis paced around her clinic, and she knew that if her blood type matched the one that was found at the crime scene, she was going to spend the rest of her life in jail. Fingering the video she found buried in the Campbell's basement, she was grateful to Gina for burying it down there, even more hidden then the other ones. Tossing it into the fire, she watched the flames lick the plastic casing, and she knew that Gina would never implicate her.

Glancing at the squad car that had been following her for days, she knew that she couldn't slip out of town. Picking up Gina's case file, she glanced through it again, recounting Gina's childhood troubles, through her father's murder, her sex change to hide it all, and her marriage to her brother, and Jen shook her head. No one would believe a crazed lunatic like that, Jen tried to convince herself. Tossing the folder on her desk, Jen vowed that she wouldn't go to prison, she wouldn't let her love take her down that easily.

**77777777777777**

"I just don't feel comfortable around him," Max told Kenny later that night. "I mean, what exactly should I say to him? Your daughter is stalking my husband?"

"That wouldn't go over to well," Kenny replied seeing her frazzled nerves. "It'll blow over with him. He worries about you… not as much as me though."  
"Are you worried about me?" Max asked slowly meeting his eyes. "Kenny, I'm fine, really."  
"Fine? A few nights ago she said that Gina could be you, and it was the luck of the draw that you're not the one in prison for this. That doesn't sound fine to me Max," Kenny said, laying his hands on her shoulders. "I know your emotions are running all over the place, being pregnant and all. I've barely slept since you said that."

"We just have a lot in common," Max said slowly. "Therapists, family problems, being raped… I didn't mean for you to freak out over it."

"You also have a lot of differences. You're strong, capable, you know the difference between right and wrong, and you have me, and I would never hurt you the way Gina's family hurt her," Kenny said softly. "I love you."  
"I love you too," Max whispered, willing herself not to cry before blurting out. "I want to go see my father."

"Why?"

Max shook her head. "This whole thing with Gina… my family isn't as screwed up as them, but I just want to make amends I guess. I don't want to resent him forever, and I don't want him to have this hold over me forever. I feel like I always have to prove myself to him, I don't like that."

"Max, he couldn't be bothered to come to our wedding," Kenny argued. "You don't owe him anything. If he doesn't want to know you, it's his loss. Not yours."

Max smiled sadly at him. "I know. I know. I just want to have some relationship with him… There are much worse families out there, and I think I owe it to myself, not him, to at least try. We're all adults… I don't know what lesson it'll teach our child for me not to talk to my father, their grandfather."

Kenny saw the raw determination in her eyes, and knew he was fighting a losing battle. He hated the idea though, and he knew how much it broke Max's heart not to have him at their wedding.

"You haven't seen him in years. Are you just planning on showing up on his doorstep?" Kenny asked.

"Sometimes surprise is the best tactic," Max replied thoughtfully. "But I don't want to start off by making him angry. I do that enough as it is."

"Okay then," Kenny conceded. "We'll go."

"We?" Max asked surprised.

"Yeah. You don't think that I'd let you do this alone? I want to meet the man who ties you up in knots," Kenny replied. "And tell him what an ass he is."

"As long as you don't hit him," Max said grinning. "I personally enjoy it when you tie me up in knots."

**77777777777777**

"Let's talk deal," Wambaugh bellowed to Jimmy and Georgia the next day in his office. "Manslaughter, five years in prison."

"Not a chance," Jimmy replied. "You clients killed a man Doug, and we have physical evidence and a damn strong motive."

"A motive you uncovered after Maxine broke the confidentiality of a therapy group. I'll butcher her on the stand Jimmy, and get sympathy for my client," Wambaugh proclaimed. "I'll poke holes in your case… both of them will walk."

"Why are you trying to cut a deal then?" Georgia asked smoothly.

"Save the town some money of a costly trial," Wambaugh insisted. "I'll make Gina look an abused puppy, the jury will feel so much sympathy that they'll lock you up. Her story is a lawyer's pot of gold."

"No deal," Jimmy said rising. "Your client's story may be your pot of gold, but it'll sink her in court. Sympathy? Maybe. But no way is she going to walk."

Wambaugh watched them go, as he plotted out his strategy.

**77777777777777**

Jimmy and Jill listened as their daughter spilled out her story in silence.

"I just couldn't live with myself if I didn't tell you," Kim lamented to her parents. "I know that he's married, and I didn't want to be the other women in the relationship. I can't believe that I could have had an affair like that."

Jimmy couldn't believe what he was hearing, and he felt betrayed. Jill felt her heart break, both for her daughter and her friends. She knew it was going to be devastating for all the parties involved and she could see Jimmy trying to control his temper.

"You and Kenny have been having an affair," Jimmy said slowly, trying to make sense out of all of this, and seeing why his deputies had been distant of late. "How long has this been going on?"

"A few months, but I wanted to break it off when he told me Max was pregnant," Kim replied wide eyed. "But he didn't… then she almost lost the baby. I don't know what to do."  
"She saw you two together," Jill replied, feeling numb, remembering Max's reaction to Kenny at the hospital and the tension between them. "Oh, god."

Jimmy shook his head in astonishment, and felt like someone had just stabbed him in the heart. He had watched these two young people grow up over the last ten years, and he couldn't believe that Kenny would hurt Kim and Max that much. Jimmy thought of their talk in the office a few days ago, and Jimmy felt himself began to seethe. And Max had known, he thought, and couldn't believe that she would forgive him for something like that. Jimmy could see the hurt on his daughter's face, and wanted to have it out with his young deputy.

"I'm going out for awhile," he declared, meeting Jill's worried gaze. "Kim, it's going to be alright."

Kimberly watched her father depart, and she smiled to herself.

**77777777777777**

"How about Joshua? For a boy," Max asked. "Josh Lacos?"  
"I like it. Or Nick, that was my grandfather's name," Kenny responded. "How about a girl?"  
"I like Sarah or Skye."

"Like the sky is blue," Kenny teased her, as she tossed a pillow at him. "Girl, huh? Emily? Or Cassie."

"Hmm," she replied, as he placed his hand on her small bump. Somewhat worried because she was over four months pregnant and not really showing yet Max decided to bring it up at her next OB visit in a few days. "Not bad choices either."

"We've got time," Kenny said, still amazed that there was a baby in that growing curve on her stomach. She laid her hand on top of his, as a thunderous knock came at the door.

"Someone doesn't sound happy," Max said dryly. "We didn't piss anyone off lately… did we?"

"Who knows?" he quipped as Max yanked the door open. Jimmy glared at her for a second, and Max gulped at the fire in his eyes.

Swallowing the need to retreat and not wanting to make everything worse she said carefully. "Jimmy, hi. I didn't know you were coming by."

"Spur of the moment," he spat eyeing her growing stomach. Jimmy wasn't sure what was going on between them, but he didn't want an innocent baby to get hurt in the process, "I need to speak with your husband."

"Okay," Max replied slowly, and taking a step back so he could come in. She could feel Jimmy's anger coming off of him, and faint ripples of apprehension ran through her. Jimmy stalked out into the living room, and Max reluctantly followed him, not really wanting to see what was going to happen next, but unable to resist it.

"You bastard," Jimmy hissed to Kenny. "How could you do it?"  
"Do what?" Kenny asked, feeling the same dread as his wife.

Jimmy threw his hands up in the air in disgust. "Do what? How can you even ask me that? I had the most enlightening talk with my daughter today. Do you want to know what she said, or do you already know?"

Kenny met his wife's eyes, and felt like someone had just kicked him in the groin. He didn't know what Kim had told him, but he was sure that it wasn't the truth. The venom in Jimmy's chilled him, and in all the years that they had worked together, he had never heard Jimmy yell like that.

"You've been having an affair with my daughter," Jimmy continued in his silence. "My daughter! While your wife is pregnant! Do you know how badly Kim feels about all this? How could you take advantage of a young girl like that?"

"I didn't," Kenny said quietly, hating this situation. "Would you listen to me?"

"What is there to say?" Jimmy shot back, before turning to Max. "And you knew! You walked in one night and saw them together! Then almost had a miscarriage! Why didn't you say something, instead of protecting him?"  
Max shook her head. "It wasn't like that. Take a deep breath, okay?"

She moved cautiously to her husband's side, not wanting to rock the boat anymore. Max couldn't believe Kim would tell her parents that, but as she had said before, this is Rome. Watching Jimmy trying to control his emotions, Max wondered if she would love her child with the same passion that Jimmy felt right now for his daughter.

"Please," she ventured. "Just listen. Please."

Jimmy glared at them for a second longer before nodding reluctantly. Studying the way that Kenny had his arm wrapped around Max's waist and was holding her close to his side made Jimmy pause in his fight for a moment. They look happy, he thought, not like two people caught up in a love triangle.

"Talk," he ordered.

"Kim came by one night while Max was still at work and we started to talk about her school and stuff. Then she asked why we didn't pursue our relationship, and I told her it was one of those things that just wasn't meant to be," Kenny said carefully, seeing that Jimmy's anger was still boiling under the surface. "Then she just jumped on top of me. I pushed her off, but not before Max walked in. The whole thing shouldn't of happened, and it wasn't an affair. I wouldn't cheat on my wife, much less with your daughter."

"Why didn't you say something earlier?" Jimmy said lowly.

"She's your daughter," Kenny repeated. "How could I tell you that? You wouldn't have believed it, and I doubt you do now."

"You believe him?" Jimmy asked Max, not looking at her.

"Yes," she said firmly. "I know him Jimmy, and you do too. Kenny is loyal, sometimes to a fault, but he would never intentionally hurt anybody like that. Especially people he cares about, me, you, Jill… and Kimberly."

Jimmy lowered his head to his hands, and didn't know what to think. His mind was spinning and deep down he couldn't believe that his daughter would make something like this up. Then, looking at Max and Kenny, he'd known them for to many years to know when they were being straight with him. Unlike his conversation with Kenny a few days ago, Jimmy could tell they were both being honest with his right now.

"I need time to think," Jimmy said finally. "Does anyone else know about this?"

He caught the quick glance between them before Max replied, "Yeah. Pete."

"Pete Hunter? Why?" Jimmy asked shocked.

"He's got a crush on Max," Kenny said neutrally. "And Kim knew that, and they both figured they could get what they wanted."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. He admitted it to us, go ask him," Max said.

"I'll do that," Jimmy said rising, feeling the first sprinkling of doubt about his daughter's story. "I'll be back in a few hours. I'll assume that you'll both be here?"

They nodded, and Jimmy stormed back to his Explorer.


	8. Truth

Jimmy sat in his Explorer after his confrontation with Pete Hunter, and longed to bang his head on the steering wheel. The young man had all but fallen on his knees and begged for forgiveness. He hadn't wanted to hurt anyone, and it had seemed like a good idea at the time. Jimmy thought back to Kimberly's expression when she had told him about her affair with Kenny, and was utterly shocked and disappointed that his daughter could lie so easily to him about people he considered friends. How she could want to hurt them so badly.

Turning the key in the ignition, he didn't want to go home and talk to her about this. Immediately contrite about his yelling spree with Kenny and Max, he knew he owed them an apology for what he had said. Unable to handle that now too, he began to drive aimlessly around town. I need a drink, he thought. Jimmy felt like he had lost his footing somewhat, and wasn't sure how he should handle the situation at hand. The world didn't seem to make sense anymore, and Jimmy knew he could deal with serial killers more easily then his daughter out right deceiving him. He was also still a little pissed at Max and Kenny for not being straight with him to begin with. With a deep sigh, he headed home to face his wife and daughter.

**8888888888888**

"Do you think he believed us?" Max asked tentatively after Jimmy had stormed off. "He looked as mad as I've ever seen him."

"I'm not to sure," Kenny replied. "Who'd want to believe that about their own child? Hell, I don't want to even remember it happened. Max?"

"Yeah," she asked hearing the question in his voice, and seeing the sudden look of apprehension in his eyes. "Kenny, what is it?"

He looked away quickly before turning back to her. "Did you mean it? I mean really, when you said that you believed me? Before and tonight… because honestly I had my doubts that you would."

Max didn't say anything for a moment and she studied her husband thoughtfully, surprised that he would even ask her that. "Because I know you would never hurt me like that. We've been through a lot together Kenny, sometimes I think more then most people. You know I've got trust issues, but never with you."

"I'll never forget the way you looked at me that night… I never want to see that expression again," Kenny said softly. "I thought I'd lost you."

"As you said, we're stuck with each other," Max said with a small smile.

"There are worse people that I could be with," Kenny replied, feeling part of his guilt lift. "I promised myself that I would never hurt you."

"You can't promise that because life doesn't work that way," Max replied honestly. "People hurt each other unintentionally every day."

"Not like that," Kenny argued before caving in as he gazed at his beautiful wife. "You'll never know how much I regret the whole thing."

Max nodded, and held out her hand to him. He grasped in between his, and pulled her tightly against his chest.

**8888888888888**

Jimmy paused at his front door, and tried to calm his raging emotions before going into speak to his wife and daughter. Never in his entire existence had he felt more betrayed by anyone at that moment then he did by his daughter. He never would have even considered that she was capable of such treachery, and Jimmy realized that he didn't know who she was anymore. His little girl had grown up into a treacherous woman. Jimmy gathered all of his inner strength, and pushed the door open to silence. Straining, her could hear Jill and Kim's faint voices in the kitchen, and Jimmy was dreading going into face them. For once in his life, he didn't know what to say at all. How does someone call their child a liar that went out to maliciously hurt people like that? Taking one more deep breath, Jimmy made his way into the other room.

Jill looked up and saw her husbands defeated expression and sad eyes. He regarded them both in stone cold silence for a moment before he could even find the words to speak.

"I had an interesting conversation with Pete Hunter," Jimmy said flatly watching Kim's face. "And the man would have given me his left leg if I forgave him for what he had done. For what both of you had done."

Kim blanched at her father's bluntness and struggled to respond. "Dad, I, they're all lying! You've got to believe me!"  
"Believe you? I've got three of my deputies telling the exact same story! I know that it wouldn't be that consistent if they were lying about it! What the hell we're you thinking! You don't go out to maliciously hurt and manipulate people like that," Jimmy exploded, not able to control his temper any longer. "Pete was a misdirected dumb ass who had a crush a married woman that you exploited! And that same woman is pregnant, and you go and start necking with him! I thought your mother and I raised you better then that!"

"My mother," Kim spat. "You want to talk about ruining relationships? Weren't you the one that had an affair while you we're still married to Lydia?"

"That was different," Jimmy sputtered. "I was in love with Jill, not Lydia."

"So, I love Kenny," Kim shouted back as Jill stared speechless at the two.

Jimmy fell silent and looked desperately at his wife for guidance in this, and Jill fought to reply. "You love him? Kimberly… It didn't work out then… He's married, and Max is four months pregnant."

"I love him," Kim said firmly, trying to regain her composure. "It's not different from your affair, Dad. You didn't let Lydia stop you from hooking up with Mom. Why should I let Kenny's marriage to Max stop me? He wouldn't have kissed me back if he hadn't felt something."

Jimmy felt trapped, and he knew he sounded like a hypocrite at that moment. He did have an affair 20 years ago, and it resulted in a much happier life then he was living back then. He thought of his two deputies, and the casual loving ease of their marriage and he knew deep down that it was right for them. They couldn't get any happier, and he knew better then anyone how hard they fought to get where they were. Turning back the fire in his daughter's eyes, Jimmy couldn't help but want her to be happy as well.

"You're a beautiful young woman," Jimmy replied carefully. "Kenny would've had to be dead not respond to a beautiful woman kissing him."

"Oh, so now I'm just another whore," Kim snapped. "I'm just following the family example."

"Kimberly, you're not a whore," Jill said gently. "And it was different with your father and me. His and Lydia's marriage was over, at least emotionally, before we ever got involved. Kenny and Max's isn't, and it isn't like you to intentionally hurt someone like this… she almost miscarried her baby over it. Think about it."

Kim stood shakily and grabbed her coat. "I have thought about it. I love him, and I intend to be with him."

Jimmy and Jill watched as Kim stormed out of the house and screeched away in her car.

**8888888888888**

"Everything looks fine Mrs. Lacos," Dr. Meadows, Max's OBGYN, said checking the ultrasound results the next morning. "Your almost miscarriage didn't damage the fetus at all, and it's growing at a healthy rate, so you don't have to worry about that."

Max smiled in relief, glad that everything was okay. With the way life had been going, she expected to hear that their baby had two heads or something. Glancing down at her slightly expanded stomach, she was still somewhat in shock that there was a tiny person in there.

"Well, that's good then," Max replied finally. "Is there anything else I should be doing? I know the whole avoid stress thing, but life as been one huge jumble of it."

"Get rid the mess then," Dr. Meadows instructed. "Keep taking your vitamins, sleep, you'll need it in a few months."

"I can handle sleeping," Max said grinning. "The stress though… I think it's getting better."

"Good," she replied, closing her chart. "Go on, get dressed and I'll see you at your next appointment."

Max watched her go, and quickly shed her paper gown. Pulling her jeans up, she inhaled sharply to fasten then. Vowing to but some maternity clothes soon, she pulled on a baggy sweater to hide her waistband. Wandering out into the hospital corridor, she turned a corner and collided with Jill. The two women eyed each other warily for a moment, neither knowing what to say.

"Appointment?" Jill asked finally, breaking the silence.

"Yeah," Max replied carefully, knowing that Jill had to know what had gone on last night, and Max really didn't know how she would have reacted to it. Or how she felt about it now.

"Everything still alright?" Jill continued, searching for a conversation topic because she didn't know how to approach Max after the story Jimmy told her last night. Jill still couldn't believe that Kim would do something like that, but after listening to both Kim and Jimmy, Jill felt like she didn't know her daughter anymore.

"So far."

"Kimberly stormed out last night," Jill blurted out. "Jimmy and I have both tried calling her, but she isn't interested in talking to us. Max… We didn't know… Why didn't you guys say anything?"  
Max sighed, tired of the topic she wanted to bury forever. "What would we have said? You guys are our friends, we couldn't tell you this. She's your daughter, she has, and should have, priority over us."

"You're defending her?" Jill asked, astounded.

Max shook her head. "Not her actions… I felt like I was dying when I saw them together."

"She says she is in love with him," Jill said carefully. "And intends to be with him. Are you two alright? Really, is everything okay?"

"Yeah. It happened, it's over. We're both moving on, and if Kim is in love with my husband, too bad for her. We're both in it for the long haul," Max replied truthfully. "I want to know though, why is she acting like this now? What brought it on?"

Jill shook her head. "That's what we need to find out."

**8888888888888**

Jimmy stared down at the Gina Troy case file on his desk, and pretended to read Georgia's prosecution notes for the trial that started next week. Gina refused to give any information about Jen's involvement in the murder, and adamantly denied that she was any part of it. After matching Jen's blood type to the one found on the body, they tossed her in the cell down the hall from Gina's. He was awaiting Skeeter's arrival with Gina's case file, which they finally had access to because the therapist was the co-murderer in this case. Jimmy turned his head to the window, and stared blankly outside. He wanted to talk to his daughter, but she kept hanging up on him. He also knew he had to talk to Kenny and Max, but Jimmy didn't know what to say to them. He felt like he owed them an apology for Kimberly's actions, but he didn't know how to put it into words. Turning towards the knock on his door, Jimmy swiveled his chair around as Skeeter came in waving a folder stuffed with papers.

"You've got to read this," Skeeter said. "This is Gina/Troy's whole history, most of which we know now, but it is tangible proof. And this disc is saved e-mail files… and from what we've been able to determine there is one referring to Kurt Campbell's murder, with phrases like, the knife slashed through his body like it was made of Jell-O. Maybe Wambaugh will opt for 40 years in prison instead of a life sentence for a deal now."

"Maybe," Jimmy agreed, trying to focus on work instead of his personal problems. "I'll read through it all, and would you get Wambaugh on the phone for me? Oh, and send Max or Kenny in to see me when they get here."

Skeeter didn't want to pry, but to him Jimmy looked somewhat lost to him. Distracted, and like he really wasn't all there. "Uh, Sheriff? Are you alright?"

Jimmy nodded, and reached for the case file, "I'm fine, Deputy. Just go do your job."

Skeeter reluctantly handed him the folder, and wondered if he was actually going to read it. He backed out of Jimmy's office slowly, and went to call Wambaugh.

**88888888888888888**

"You wanted to see me?" Kenny asked, as he stood in Jimmy's doorway an hour later. "Jimmy?"

Jimmy beckoned him inside, and Kenny shut the door behind him. "Where's Max? I need to talk to the both of you."

"It's her day off, and she had a doctor's appointment," Kenny said carefully, not wanting another explosion after last night. "She needed a break, Jimmy."

"I'm sure she did," Jimmy replied. "I talked to Pete. And to Kim… she ran off and won't talk to Jill or me. She's planning on carrying on the family tradition of breaking up marriages… she told us she was in love with you. And that she's going to follow my example."

Kenny stared at him, and had no response for that.

Jimmy took a deep breath at Kenny's silence before continuing. "I owe you and Max a big apology for the other night… and for Kim's behavior. I don't know what has happened to her."

"You don't owe us an apology," Kenny finally responded. "I hope that Max and me will have the same unconditional devotion to our kid that you showed us last night. Why wouldn't you believe her? She's your daughter… I just want to know why she decided to do this now."

"Don't we all?" Jimmy agreed before pushing the new case information to him, and changing the subject. "Read through this, I think we just nailed our murderer."

**8888888888888**

"You're serious? Jen actually sent Gina an email referring to them murdering Kurt," Max asked Kenny that same night as she tried to process this break. "Is it really going to be that easy? Is she really that dumb?"  
"Apparently," he said dryly. "You want to hear the rest of it?"  
"How much more can there be?"

"Plenty. Kurt wasn't the first person that Jen helped murder. A lot of the abusers and rapists of the women that came to her center were killed," Kenny said, trying to hide his disgust. "And in digging around in her computer files, we found synopses of them all. So far were up over a dozen."

"And no one caught on because it was all confidential information," Max finished for him. seeing where he was heading with this. "Wow."

"We told Gina, and she broke down. God Max, she really thought that Jen did this for her because they were meant to be together. She, he, whatever, would have taken this to the grave with her to protect Jen," Kenny replied, letting some of the venom creep into his voice. "Jill had to sedate her."

"Therapists have a lot of influence over their patients," Max said softly. "And these women were in so much pain… I almost understand how they can be talked into it."

"You're not like them," Kenny insisted seeing a shadow cross over her face.

"I know. I wonder why she didn't try to kill Danny," Max asked thoughtfully. "He raped and killed four women, and me… he seems like the perfect target for her."

"He was locked up. These men got away with it," Kenny said.

"That explains it. I really liked her Kenny, and she helped me a lot, all of those women did. A common bond, you know? Leave it to me to pick the Counseling Center with the killer therapist," Max said sarcastically. "Is this thing going to trial?"

"Yeah, Wambaugh's doing back flips. He still thinks he can win it all," Kenny replied pausing. "I talked to Jimmy too... about Kim. He knows it all, and she ran off."

"Yeah, I saw Jill at the hospital. She apologized for Kimberly's behavior, and they don't know what to do about her."

"Why now?"

"That seems to be the question of the day."

**8888888888888**

Kimberly sat in her college apartment, after another day of skipping classes. Her mind raced, and she was afraid to answer the phone and talk to her parents. Everyone had someone, but her. Matthew had a girlfriend, and even Zach thought girls had something to offer besides cooties. Carter and Laurie had begun to date, and all around her people were paired off like it was going out of style. Kenny was the only man that she had ever dated, well almost dated, that ever made her feel like a women. Most of the boys that she knew were just that, boys. She needed a man, and if her Dad could find happiness after destroying a marriage, Kim thought maybe she could too.

Rising from her couch, she went to take a shower before giving him a call. She wanted to make herself all pretty before she invited him over.

**8888888888888**

"I intend to prove that my clients had nothing to do with these atrocious murders. Jen Davis is a competent therapist and Gina Troy was a victim of abuse. They were two people deeply in love that stumbled upon a terrible accident, and our Sheriff's department just loves to cry murder every time someone dies in this town," Wambaugh proclaimed in court two weeks later. "Kurt Campbell was killed by someone stronger then two women, and instead of prosecuting my clients, they should be out looking for the real killer."

"The real killers are in the courtroom today," Georgia said rising. "The state intends to prove that Gina Troy and Jen Davis did kill Kurt Campbell, and while the severity of the wounds do look harsh for two women to complete, we have evidence that will show the contrary. This was a malicious and violent death, and not the first that these two ladies had caused."

"First witness," Bone said, as Georgia beckoned Skeeter to the stand. The trial had begun.

**8888888888888**

"Thank you Deputy Skeeter," Bone said, as Skeeter stepped down after testifying about finding Gina kneeling over the body. "Next witness."

Jimmy watched the trial began from the back of the courtroom, and he knew Wambaugh was planning on tearing into Max about breaking her confidentiality agreement with the therapy center. He had pulled her aside earlier to warn her about it, and she assured him he could handle it. Looking at the pretty young woman be sworn in, Jimmy hoped that she was right because he knew that pregnant women got a little emotional from time to time. Glancing at her swelling stomach, he couldn't see how the jury couldn't believe her.

"So, you decided to break this agreement because you thought that Gina Troy was a murderer? What gave you the right to make that decision?" Wambaugh demanded, as Max tried to control her anger. "Your department wouldn't have been able to obtain this evidence if you hadn't had to go to rape counseling to begin with! Isn't that right?"

"Objection, he's badgering the witness," Georgia argued.

"Sustained," Bone snapped. "Wambaugh, control yourself."

He merely nodded. "Fine. Would the department not have this evidence without your personal relationship to my clients?"

Max wanted desperately to lie, but responded. "Probably not."

"And you had your doubts about giving Sheriff Brock this information," Wambaugh stated. "Why is that?"

"I… I thought this place helped people, and I didn't want to see Gina get hurt anymore then she had. I promised I'd keep what I learned secret, but she had killed her husband/brother, and no matter how much someone hurts you, murder is never the answer."

"So you lied to these women. Why should we believe that you're telling the truth now?"

"Objection," Georgia called. "Your Honor?"

"Wambaugh," Bone growled.

"No more questions," Wambaugh said returning to his seat.

**8888888888888**

"He's trying to make us look like the bad guy, but it's not going to work," Georgia told Jimmy, Kenny, Max and Skeeter, after court ended that day. "We have enough evidence to send them both to prison for their next 50 lifetimes."

"What if it gets thrown out? Wambaugh is gunning for that," Jimmy ventured. "Bone won't give in, and Wambaugh has a point. Without Max's relationships with them, this case would have been over awhile ago."

"He's pushing for a conflict of interest," Georgia replied. "We all know there wasn't one, but it's Wambaugh's one chance to get his clients off. Tomorrow we focus on Jen's computer files. The jury knows Gina's history, so we have to put the final nail in the coffin."

**8888888888888**

Jen Davis couldn't believe this was happening, and now Gina wouldn't even talk to her. She tried calling down the cell to her, but Gina just sat there in silence.

"You've got to understand. You're different, I love you," Jen pleaded. "Please Gina, will you just talk to me?"

Jen slammed her hands against the bars, hating everyone for putting her in this place. She had important work to do out there. She had clients that couldn't get away from their abusers, and she had to make them pay for the way they treated their wives. Just like Kurt, and all of the others.

"Gina," she called again. "When we get out of here, we'll be together. I love you, and promise you that."

Jen blamed Max, and she knew that if that woman had never come to her center, this would not be happening. She wanted to wrap her hands around the red head's neck, and choke her. Jen also couldn't believe that she was pregnant, and she didn't understand how she could want to toss her into prison after being so brutally raped herself. Jen vowed that she would make Max pay when she had the chance. As soon as she was free….


	9. Verdicts

"Hmm, this is nice," Max purred, as Kenny rubbed her feet. "How come you never did this before?"

Kenny eyed her burgeoning belly before responding. "You were never pregnant before."

"Oh? So I only get pampered when you knock me up?"

"Since when do you ever let me? You're the most god-damned self sufficient person I know."

Max grinned at him, and couldn't help but feel somewhat smug about her life at the moment. Despite the wild case at work she felt like these perfect moments more then made up for it. She never realized that life could be this way, and all Max wanted it all to last forever.

The ringing phone tore her thoughts back to reality, and she knew that life would never be just one calm ride. They did live in Rome Wisconsin after all. Kenny shot her an apologetic look, and snatched the cordless from the receiver. Max pulled her legs up to her chest, and watched as his facial muscles tensed up. He met her eyes as he hung up the phone without saying anything, and Max wanted nothing more then to collect him in her arms, like he had done so much for her lately.

"Kenny?" she asked slowly. "Is everything alright?"

He paused before answering because he didn't want to upset her anymore then he had lately, but Kenny also knew that she could tell when he lied to her.

"It was Kimberly," he said finally. "Shit…. I can't believe that's the same girl we've known for all these years…"

"Ahh… What did she want?" Max asked, not sure if she really wanted to know.

"Stuff," Kenny said vaguely, not wanting to go into to detail but the whole episode left him feeling a little shaky. "Max… what the hell are we supposed to do about this?"

Max shook her head, and sighed. "I don't know… and I'm worried about her Kenny. This isn't the same girl we've known all these years."

"Yeah," he agreed, glad that she didn't flip out on him.

"Do we say anything to Jimmy and Jill about it?" Max asked tentatively. "They want to know what's going on with Kim, but…"

"What?" Kenny asked as she paused looking deep in thought, "Max?"

Max really didn't like where he train of thought was going on this one, but one way or another they needed this problem solved. She didn't want Jimmy and Jill to have to stress about Kim because she wouldn't talk to them. Giving herself an inward pep talk, she replied. "Maybe you should go to talk to her."

"You're not serious," Kenny blurted out, not sure if he heard her right. "We're talking about the same person here, aren't we?"

"It might give her some kind of closure," Max said quickly in his disbelief before adding. "And that's important for moving on."  
Kenny knew she was thinking about when she went to see Danny in jail right before they got married. He didn't really understand her motivation for doing that then, and tried everything to convince her not to do it. All he had wanted then was for her to be herself again, and he hadn't understood why she felt so strongly about seeing him so soon after he had raped her. Remembering her shaken demeanor when she came out of that room, Kenny had to admit her was proud of her then, and even he could see that she was stronger because of it.

"I don't want to see her Max," Kenny said finally trying to keep his voice even. "I know you wanted closure before, and I know it was important for you to show him that he hadn't destroyed your life. If she hadn't come here that night… I thought you were dying, Max, when I saw all that blood. I can't forgive her for that."

"I'm not asking you to forgive her," Max said softly. "Just talk to her. She went into this obsession so suddenly."

Kenny looked at his beautiful wife for a moment, as he recalled that night. He knew that he would never forget the fire in her eyes right before she collapsed to the floor in pain. She had looked at him like she didn't know who he was then, and it had nearly killed him to know that he had brought that much suffering into her life. He had vowed that he would do anything to make it up to her, but he didn't know if he could confront Kim and keep his cool at the same time.

"I don't know if I can talk to her," Kenny began, hating to show weakness, even to Max. "And stay calm. You're the most important person in my life, and she tried to destroy that. You expect me to go have a civil conversation with her after that?"

Max could see him gearing up for a fight, and she could see his point. "I guess not."

"I had closure with her Max, and I know why the whole thing started between Kim and me. I thought she did too," Kenny said squeezing her hand between his, and studying her. "It's important to you though? To have this thing finished?"

Max nodded slowly, not wanting to push him on it.

Kenny ran his hand through her long hair, and she laid her head on his shoulder as he replied. "I'll think about it."

**9999999999999999**

"No deals," Jimmy declared as Wambaugh came strutting into his office after court.

"Oh, I don't want a deal," Wambaugh exclaimed. "I can still get Gina off, and I'm painting Jen like an avenging angel. The sympathy alone will have these two living a happy ending."  
"Jen murdered over 15 people, and Gina two Doug," Jimmy replied dryly. "And there's enough evidence to lock them up for life."  
"You want to be responsible for locking up the avenging angel for women," Doug asked mockingly. "Jimmy, I'm surprised at you. You're usually more objective then this. Problems at home?"

"What do you want?" Jimmy asked, trying to change the subject.

"Just a friendly visit," Wambaugh replied off-handily. "And to let you know I filed an injunction to get all of your evidence thrown out that came from Maxine's relationship with that Counseling Center."

Jimmy stared at Wambaugh for a second before rising to his feet. "We obtained that legally, and you know that as well as I do."

"Maybe so," Wambaugh conceded, shrugging his shoulders. "But my client's lives are at stake here, and I want Max to know it's nothing personal against her."  
Jimmy knew how conflicted Max was about the whole case, and her role in it, and the last thing he wanted was for Wambaugh to drag her conscience farther in the dirt then it already was. He owed her that at least.

"Oh, she'll know that. She knows that you'll do anything to get a client off," Jimmy replied carefully. "Get out of my office, Doug, or I'll file my own injunction."

Doug waved as he strutted out through the station. Jimmy watched him go before he waved Max inside.

**9999999999999999**

"That's absurd," Bone barked after reading Wambaugh's request for the evidence to be thrown out. "Even for you."

"Conflict of interest," Wambaugh declared. "And breach of confidentiality. If this was a doctor patient breach, it wouldn't be allowed in, so why should this?"

"You tried this at the grand jury," Bone growled. "The evidence stands, now move on!"

Wambaugh sighed inwardly, knowing he had done his best to poke holes in the prosecution's case. He hoped that he'd made his clients out to be somewhat like Robin Hood. Sure they were criminals, but they were only trying to help those in need. He nodded reassuringly to them, as the jury went back to deliberate.

"He's just doing his job, don't talk it so personally," Kenny whispered into Max's ear, as the courtroom cleared out.

"I know," she replied. "But sometimes I wonder how he can stomach treating everyone like they're expendable."

Kenny could easily have slugged Wambaugh for dragging Max through the mud in his closing argument, and trying to make it seem like their department had used confidential information to catch their murderers. He knew how this had affected Max throughout the last few months, and Kenny was fully aware of how guilty she felt about divulging that information to them.

"Are you still here?" Wambaugh exclaimed, coming back into the courtroom to pick up his forgotten briefcase. "No hard feelings?"  
Max held her tongue and glared at him for a moment before responding. "No hard feelings? You made me out to be a lying shrew Doug, who was out to destroy your clients."

"It's my job Maxine, I thought you would know that by now," Doug replied. "How is Doug junior doing in there?"

Max felt Kenny's arm tighten around her waist, and she knew that he was pissed at Doug as well, "Doug junior? You treat my wife like she's some kind of criminal, and then come ask us that? What is the matter with you? I actually thought that you might have been a halfway decent person when you didn't defend Danny, but how could you treat someone so badly that you once said was like a niece to you?"

"Kenny," Max said quietly, at Wambaugh's taken back expression, and she knew that he was trying to protect her.

"Everyone is entitled to a good lawyer at their trial, and I think that your wife probably understands why Gina and Jen killed these people," Wambaugh said interrupting her. "And it's common knowledge that Jimmy Brock and you badgered to information out of her. What kind of person does that make you?"  
"We didn't make her tell us anything?" Kenny shot back. "Max made up her own mind."

They're talking about me like I'm not even here, Max thought to her and tried not to be offended by it. She sat up a bit straighter, and vowed to hold her tongue until the testosterone battle was over.

"Right," Wambaugh said sarcastically. "And I'm sure you couldn't persuade her to say anything. Being married after all has its perks, and I'm sure that you wouldn't force your wife to do anything she doesn't want to. Apparently she stabs people who try to hurt her."

"You son of a bitch," Kenny spat, jumping up, as Max felt herself go numb at Wambaugh's low blow. He jumped back at Kenny's temper, and Max found her voice again.

She turned to Wambaugh, and deep down she couldn't believe that he would say something like that. Meeting the old lawyer's eyes she said raggedly. "What happened to you? Yeah, you would always defend anybody, but you never made it personal before."

She rose to her feet shakily, as she didn't take her eyes off of him. Seeing the anger in Kenny's expression, she knew that they had to get out of there before the situation got any worse. Glaring at Wambaugh, the two made their way out of the courtroom.

**9999999999999999**

"What say you?" Bone asked the jury a week later, as they came back with their verdict.

"We the jury find Dr. Jennifer Davis guilty of the murder in the first degree in all 17 cases. We the jury find Gina Troy Campbell not guilty be reason of insanity."

"Thank you for you time, you're dismissed," Bone said, his voice echoing in the silent courtroom. "Bailiff take them into custody for sentencing. Mrs. Campbell will be held over until we find the proper mental hospital for her."

Kenny squeezed Max's hand, and he knew she was glad that Gina would get the help she needed and not have to spend the rest of her life in jail. He could fell Jen's eyes burning into him, and he watched Max return her fiery gaze as she was led away. Wambaugh's words echoed in his head, and he wondered if he and Jimmy had pushed to hard for Max to give them what they wanted. He looked sideways at her, and he could see her sadness mixed with relief on her face, as Gina was led away.

Max couldn't help but feel her heart break as Gina was taken away, and she could hear the other women's sobs echo throughout the courtroom. She had a tough life, Max reasoned to herself, and she never caught a break. Abused from day one, she had to be somewhat crazy to live as her brother's wife. Max prayed that she would get the help that she needed, and she would see to it if it came to that.

"You ready to get out of here?" Kenny asked her, knowing that she didn't want to talk to Wambaugh again, and they had both noticed that the lawyer had avoided looking at them all day.

Max nodded, as she rose slowly to her feet. Approaching five months pregnant, her stomach was beginning to swell noticeably, and she was starting to feel some aches in her lower back. Following Kenny and Jimmy out into the hallway, she heard Wambaugh began to talk about filing an appeal with the press, so the three of them slipped silently out the back.

**9999999999999999**

"Can't it wait until after you give birth?" Kenny asked. "He'll still be there in four months."

"I think I'll be pretty well occupied in four months," Max said, knowing that Kenny didn't want her to go see her father. "I know you don't understand this whole closure thing I seem to need to do, but I don't want to go into parenthood without at least trying to work things out with my Dad, and we've both got a few days off."

Knowing that he'd lost this battle earlier, Kenny really didn't have much hope of changing her mind. "Just listening to you talk about him though… Are you sure about doing this? I don't want him to upset you."

"I won't let him," she said firmly, knowing that Kenny was thinking of her almost miscarriage. "There is nothing he can say to me that he hasn't already."

He could see the determination set in her face, and part of him was curious to meet the man who had treated Max so poorly throughout her life. He wanted to know how anyone could treat their own child that way, especially one that had grown into such a wonderful woman.

"I want you to wait," Kenny said quietly. "Honey, please. A few months, the thought of you lying on the floor and bleeding again… I couldn't handle that."

Max swallowed at Kenny's ragged admission, and she knew how hard it was for him to say exactly what wanted sometimes, so she nodded." Okay, I'll wait."

**9999999999999999999999**

"Max actually wants to go see her father?" Jimmy asked in disbelief as he joined Kenny and Carter for a beer a few days later. "I've never heard her say anything remotely decent about him."

"She's pretty determined about it," Kenny said dryly. "I wouldn't mind meeting the guy."

"He sounds like a jerk," Carter interjected. "I'm going to get another drink, want one?"  
"Have you heard from Kim?" Kenny asked cautiously, as Carter made his way to the bar.

Jimmy shook his head, and couldn't help but feel like he had lost a part of himself after Kim had stormed out that night. "Jill and I… we've tried calling, but she keeps hanging up on us."  
"Jimmy I… I don't know what to say. This whole thing… Max wants me to talk to her, she's big on closure these days."

"Really?" Jimmy asked, surprised. "That doesn't sound like her."

Kenny shrugged. "Hell, she's pregnant, her hormones are all over the place. I don't know what she's thinking half of the time. The other night she was eating pickles and syrup."

"Jill preferred bananas and sauerkraut," Jimmy said absently. "Are you going to?"

"What?" Kenny asked. "I don't want to… that night was one of the worst. I'll never forget Max's expression, and I don't know if I can talk to Kimberly."  
"She won't talk to us Kenny, and she needs to talk to somebody," Jimmy said. "I'm surprised Max would even consider it, but I'm asking you as a friend to do this. Jill and I don't want to lose our daughter, we just want to help her."

Kenny felt trapped, and he wanted this all finished as much as much as Max, Jimmy and Jill did, so he nodded. "I'll do it. Just give some time to figure out what I'm going to say."  
Jimmy gave an inward sigh of relief, as Carter returned with the drinks.

**9999999999999999**

Max eyed her reflection warily in the full length mirror as Kenny changed to go talk Kimberly. She looked liked she swallowed a basketball she thought to herself, running her hands over her distended stomach. Stretching Kenny's t-shirt tight over it, she felt lucky that she didn't look pregnant anywhere else besides her stomach. She contributed it to being in fairly good shape before, and she remembered her sister's pregnancies. Caroline, if you looked at her from the waist up, didn't look pregnant at all. Still, Max knew, her husband was off to meet a beautiful 20 year old, who didn't have a heavy bowling ball weighing down her midsection. Collapsing down on their bed, she tried not to feel jealous of the situation she insisted on.

Kenny caught Max's expression as she looked at herself in the mirror, and he tried not to smile at her. Despite what she thought, he thought she looked positively beautiful. She glowed, and he found her pregnant belly incredibly sexy. Joining her on the bed, he laid his hand on her stomach and kissed her.

"You're beautiful," he said.

Max smiled up at him, and knew that he always saw her that way. She knew he was preoccupied with trying to figure out what to say to Kimberly, so she was somewhat surprised that he picked up on concern with appearance.

"When Abby had her kids, she was huge," Kenny continued. "At six months, she had gained about 65 pounds. It didn't matter though, what was inside her and you is beautiful Max. And it really turns me on to think of the life we created is inside of you."

"That's kind of kinky," Max said trying to keep her voice steady. "I know I pushed you to do this, but I'm kind of freaked out about the whole thing. I mean she's young, beautiful, and is crazy about you… and I'm here fat and irritable."

"Irritable as you are, I'm in love with you," Kenny said kissing her again. "You'll be alright?"

Max smiled at him, and buried her fears about this. "I think all the bad guys are locked up now. And I love you too."

**99999999999999**

Kenny knocked on Kim's door after a moment's hesitation. It opened slowly, and her jaw dropped to see him standing in front of her. Quickly, she shut it, and a grin spread across her face.

"I knew you would come," she exclaimed. "I knew you still loved me."

Kenny took a deep breath, and followed her inside.


	10. Revenge

"I can't believe that you're actually here," Kimberly gushed, as Kenny reluctantly followed her inside. "I thought that you were angry with me."

"I just need to talk to you," Kenny said carefully, not getting to close to the young woman. "You've got a lot of people worried about you."

"My parents? They aren't," Kim scoffed. "I'm their daughter, and shouldn't they want what is best for me?

"They do," Kenny insisted, silently cursing Jimmy and Max for pushing him to do this. "Kimberly, we've always been friends… and the girl that I knew would never try something like this."

"I'm not a girl anymore," Kimberly replied stubbornly. "I'm a woman, and I don't need my parent's approval for every man that I date."

"True," Kenny replied slowly. "But Kimberly you don't want me. We've been over this before, years ago. I thought you understood."

"We were wrong! Look at me Kenny," Kim demanded. "Please! I'm in love with you!"  
Kenny resisted the urge to step back as Kim declared her devotion to him, and his heart went out to her. She looked so frightened and alone in the small apartment, and he hoped that there was someone there that could help her.

"I want someone to love me," she whispered. "Please. I'm so alone here. My Dad found Mom after Lydia, why can't someone find me?"

"They will," Kenny insisted. "Kim, someday a very lucky guy will sweep you off your feet."

"You're the only one who ever treated me like an adult," Kim replied hoarsely. "Why her and not me?"

Kenny shook his head. "Max is…it was always her."

Kim collapsed on the couch, and Kenny watched her nervously. He didn't think that she would give up so easily, and he wasn't about to let her off the hook for nearly killing his wife a few months ago.

"I never meant to hurt anybody. I just…," she trailed off. "Why can't someone just love me?"

**101010101010**

"The van crashed," Jimmy snapped into the phone, his nerves frayed. "When?"

"A few hours ago," a transport guard informed him. "A prisoner, a Dr. Jennifer Davis, is unaccounted for, and we were told she came from your town."

"She did," Jimmy replied sharply. "Any idea where she wandered off to?"

He knew the car crashed about 10 miles out of town chilled Jimmy to the bone. He had watched her in the courtroom, and there was something very cold about her and the thought of that knife wielding therapist coming back there chilled that Jimmy feared could erupt at any second.

"Thank you," he said tersely, as he hung up the phone and set out to rally his troops. Dread filled him, as he and Skeeter made the calls to the rest of the Deputies.

**101010101010**

Max dried herself off after stepping out of the shower. Trying to calm her nerves of Kenny going to see Kim, she let the hot water run over her body. Trailing her hand down her distended stomach, she felt the baby give a quick kick, and a wide grin spread across her face. The first time it had happened Kenny had his hand on bare belly, and he nearly jumped 10 feet when he saw and felt it. Running her hands through her wet hair, she decided that it didn't look that bad when it reached down past her collarbone. Pulling on a pair of flannel pants and a tank top, Max settled onto the couch to wait for Kenny to come home. Flipping on the television, she hoped that everything would work out with Kimberly.

**101010101010**

Jen Davis smiled to herself as she climbed out of her car. The crash had worked just as she had planned it. Two of the women whose husbands she had helped kill were more then willing to help her out of this situation. They were in her debt because she hadn't implicated them in the murders, and they wanted to see her free so she could continue her work. The battered VW Bug that they had left down the road provided her with the perfect escape route and transportation so she could get her revenge on the person that had put her in this tight spot to begin with.

She didn't understand why most of the public didn't understand her work. She just wanted to help people that couldn't help themselves. She wanted to save them the pain of living in fear, and Jen had no intention of spending the rest of her life in jail for defending all of these women. She had finally found love with Gina, and after she was finished with Max, Jen fully intended to go spring Gina from Cornerstone Psychiatric Hospital.

Flicking off her head lights, she cruised down the nearly deserted road back into Rome Wisconsin.

**101010101010**

"Someone will love you, and he'll be a lucky man," Kenny replied to Kim's outburst. "It's one of those things that will happen out of the blue, and you might not even realize it's happening."

Kim shook her head, unwilling to let go of her obsession. "Even Carter Pike has a girlfriend again…"

"That surprised us all," Kenny said dryly. "He deserves to move on after Sue's death."

"Yeah," Kim agreed reluctantly. "He does. You must hate me."  
Kenny paused before answering, not really knowing what to say to the hurt young woman. "I don't hate you. I was pissed, and shocked that you would do something that would intentionally hurt someone else so much."

"I didn't know she was pregnant," Kim replied quickly.

"Would it have made a difference?" Kenny shot back. "Do you have any idea what it was like to watch Max almost bleed to death because of something I did? Do you even care?"

"Of course I care! I didn't want anyone to be hurt," Kim lamented. "I just wanted someone to love me the way my parents love each other. I didn't want Max to get hurt, I didn't think that she would even find out! I thought you wouldn't tell her and I never considered that she would walk in!"  
Kenny shook his head in disgust before finding the right words to spell out his disgust and disbelief. "The fact that you think I would have an affair… you don't know me at all Kimberly. You didn't want to hurt Max? How can you even think that this wouldn't have hurt her? She's not stupid, and yeah I would have told her what happened. You don't think too much of me if you think that I would even consider cheating on her, with my bosses daughter too."

"Please," Kim begged. "I'm sorry. Don't be mad at me!"  
"I even know how you feel, that's the sad part. The loneliness can eat away at you," Kenny spat. "Give your parents a call, and let them know that you're okay. Stay the hell away from me, and Max. Get some help."

Kim felt the tears splash down her face, as she watched him leave. Her heart broke in two, and she thought of her actions over the past few months. She'd seen the same shocked hurt expression on Max's face that night and Kimberly hadn't been thinking of how Max would handle her advances towards Kenny. Crumpling into a pile on the floor, Kim tried to make sense out of her mess of a life.

**101010101010**

"It's still busy," Skeeter called to Jimmy after his fourth call to the Lacos'.

Jimmy had his deputies scouring the area for the escapee, and a large part of him hoped that she fled in the opposite direction of his town. Still a bigger part of him wanted the trigger happy therapist locked up. So far they had two psycho shrinks in this town, and Jimmy wasn't about to let this one get away.

"Let's go for a ride," Jimmy told him. "I know that she was plenty angry at Max, and it would be stupid for Dr. Davis to go after her, but this woman hasn't done anything to sane lately."

Skeeter nodded in agreement. "Murdering her patient's rapists? It sounds like a T.V. movie."

**101010101010**

Max jumped at the banging on the door, and switched off the television. Running her fingers through her hair, she pulled down her tank top more securely down on her stomach. Walking barefoot to the back door, she couldn't make out the person in the darkening night. Throwing the door open, she barely had time to move before Jen burst into her kitchen. Max leapt back, as Jen pointed a gun at her chest, and grinned sadistically at her.

"Hello again," Jen said coldly. "All alone tonight? Well, that is just so sad. I guess it's just you and me then."

'"But… you're supposed to be in prison," Max stammered.

"Oh that? My van had an accident, and here I am. Some more appreciative women left a car for me, and you are the first person that I knew I had to come and see. We have some unfinished business Max, and do you know what you've done? I gave you my help, and guided you back into society. How do you repay me? By sending me to jail? That is completely unforgivable, so I guess I'll just have to punish you the way I did the others. You're no different after all."

"Jen, please you don't want to do this," Max said carefully as she watched Jen's calm and rational expression. "Just put the gun down."

"Do you want it to be more painful? I'm quite good with knives," Jen replied flippantly. "It's going to hurt, and you deserver to hurt for what you did to Gina and me."

"You took advantage of that poor woman, er man," Max spat back trying to keep her temper in check. "Of all of them. They were hurt, and you offered them a way to regain their freedom. What you did was wrong, and there was another way for all of them women to get their lives back. Murdering their husbands, boyfriends, whoever… that doesn't make them any different from the people who hurt them."

"Yes it does," Jen practically screamed, as Max jumped back, closer to the living room. "You were raped! You should know that!"

"And I took care of it the right way. He's in jail, and not going anywhere," Max said evenly. "You took away their choices, and now they have to live with the guilt of being murderers. That'll eat away at them, and how do you think that'll affect their lives? If they thought being a rape victim was bad, how about being a murderer?"

"Shut up! You don't know," Jen yelled, taking a step closer. "I saved them! Your precious system just lets them go!"  
"It's not letting you go," Max snapped back, trying not to let her fear show. She placed her hand protectively over her baby, and prayed that she would somehow get both of them out of this alive.

"I save the innocents! You let the system walk all over them," Jen screamed, advancing closer. "You have to pay! I have to much work to do to be stopped now!"

Max backed up as Jen advanced towards her, and cursed the fact that both her and Kenny's guns were in a locked drawer behind Jen. Eyeing a heavy marble lamp that her mother had given them as a wedding present, Max allowed herself to be guided in that direction. Jen jammed the gun against Max's chest, as she steadied herself against the table. Max's fingers dug into the wood, and inched closer to base of the lamp.

"Innocents," Max said quietly. "Well, there is an unborn child inside me. You're just going to kill that too? Hypocrite."

"Shut up. We're just getting started," Jen spat, as she pulled a steak knife out of her bag.

**101010101010**

Kenny pulled his truck into the driveway, and felt drained by his confrontation with Kimberly. He didn't know if she got anything like closure from it, but he knew that he had gotten a lot of his chest. All he wanted to do was take a shower, drink a beer, and crawl into bed with Max. Turning the truck off, he climbed out as Jimmy and Skeeter pulled in behind him.

"What's going on?" Kenny asked, trying to ignore the dread inside him.

"We've been trying to call you two for an hour," Jimmy said quickly, as he looked around. "Max isn't with you?"  
"No, I went to do the other thing we talked about," Kenny replied.

"Jen Davis has gone missing," Jimmy informed him. "And your line has been busy for awhile. The woman would have to be nuts to come back here, but there hasn't been a trace of her found yet."

"Some tire tracks were found in the woods by the crash site, but nothing solid yet," Skeeter added.

"Shit," Kenny said quietly, knowing that Max was looking to get this case behind her, and the thought of the psycho shrink back out there again didn't sit well with him either. "What about Gina? Would she go after her too?"  
"We've got cars staked out there," Jimmy said, as they made their way down to the house.

**101010101010**

"I like to stab people, it's so much more personal then a bullet," Jen said twisting the knife between her hands. "I am sorry about your baby, but the way I see it you did this to yourself. You betrayed me, Maxine, and all of those women. All you had to do was keep you promise to keep all the information confidential."

"That's how you got away with it, no one wanted to be the one to break that," Max said, surprised at how calm she sounded.

"Yup," Jen replied, as the back door opened, and Jen whirled around lifting her pistol up as Jimmy, Kenny and Skeeter came in. A crack echoed throughout the room as the three men dove for cover, and Max watched in horror at the river of blood erupt from Kenny's body.

Not even thinking, Max jumped on top of Jen and pushed her to the floor. Anger fueled her, as Jen's gun slid across the living room. Skeeter lunged for it, as Jimmy pulled his own out and pointed it at Jen. He and Skeeter moved closer to the twosome, and Jimmy pulled Max shakily to her feet. Noting her pale expression as she gazed at Kenny's still form on the floor, he and Skeeter cuffed the other woman, as they radioed for an ambulance.

"Max," Jimmy said quietly, as he looked at her stricken expression. "Max."

She shook her head and knelt down by her husband. "Kenny? Kenny!"

Jimmy heard the hysterics building in her voice, and he watched her tremble. He tried to bury his own fear, and knelt down beside her, and tried to staunch the bleeding. Hot tears brimmed in her eyes, and Jimmy could tell she was trying to stay strong for all of them. He laid a fatherly hand on her shoulder, and watched silently as she smoothed his hair back as the sirens wailed outside. Jimmy pressed harder against the wound in his young friend's chest, and prayed that everything would be alright.

**101010101010**

"Pulse is 60 over 90 and dropping," the paramedics called, as they wheeled an unconscious Kenny into the emergency room. "Thirty-two year old male, chest wound, losing a lot of blood."

Jill met Jimmy's eyes over the gurney before turning to Kenny on the table. She didn't know what had happened, but she could see that Max was as white as a sheet and had her head buried in her hands. Shaking and pale, Max was trying to keep was screaming. Right before Jen had shot him, Kenny had looked at her, and Max could tell he was so relieved that she was still in one piece. Immediately guilty for wanting nothing more for herself and their baby to make it out of their okay earlier, Max felt like her prayers had been answered in a very twisted way. She didn't even remember tackling Jen to the ground.

"Max," Jimmy said hoarsely to the silent deputy. "He's a fighter, you know that. He's got to much to live for…"

Jimmy trailed off, not wanting to consider the possibility of Kenny dying, and he knew it was the last thing that Max needed to hear right now. Watching her sit there and not cry chilled him. She looked utterly devastated, and lost, much like the way Kenny looked after she'd been shot by Chuck Dante's enraged fan all those years ago. Like part of her had gone missing. Jimmy could deal with hysterics, but he had no clue what to do with Max's shocked silence, and he just wanted her to say something so that he would know what to do for her. Looking at her six month pregnant stomach, he hoped she didn't go into premature labor. He knew too much stress could cause that, and being held at knife point by a lunatic, then watching your husband get shot was definitely stress causer.

"Max," he tried again. "Just say something would you?"

She turned to look at him, and she said quietly. "Why? Is there some cosmic joke I'm just not getting?"  
Jimmy cursed silently and wrapped his arms around his young deputy, and prayed that everything would be alright.

**101010101010**

Jill walked wearily back to the waiting room and observed Jimmy's arm around a pale and exhausted Max. It had been an uphill battle all the way, and the bullet had done a lot of internal damage. Touch and go all the way and Jill was relieved that they were able to patch of his kidneys, after the shot had ricocheted through his body down there. Still, Jill knew they had a way to go before he made a full recovery. Max lifted her head as Jill made her way over to them.

The fear on Max's face hurt, and it had fueled Jill's drive to save Kenny. "The bullet did a lot of damage, but we were able to repair it. He lost a lot of blood, and we did do a transfusion. He's strong Max, but he's in critical condition."

"But he'll be okay?" Max asked, her voice barely above a whisper as she thought, Kenny don't do this to me. Or to our baby, I need you. "Jill?"

Jill smiled sadly. "We'll do everything possible to ensure that."

Not liking that answer, Max tried to regain her focus. "What does that mean?"  
Jimmy saw some of the fire return to her eyes, and she pulled away from him. "They'll do everything they can, Max."

"But he still might," Max trailed off, no more willing to use the word die then Jimmy was earlier.

"There's a chance," Jill admitted. "But he has everything to live for, Maxine."

"Can I stay with him?"

"For awhile," Jill said, "But the most important thing for you to do is rest, I don't want you going into labor now. That child still has a few months of incubation left to go."

Max laid her hand on stomach, and nodded slightly. A nurse burst into the waiting room and called to Jill. "Dr. Brock, we need you back into the O.R. stat. The patient is coding again.

Jill sprung from her seat, and shot Jimmy and Max an apologetic look as she raced off, "Stay calm. I'll keep you updated!"


	11. Memories

"It'll be okay," Jimmy said lamely, as Jill sprinted back to the operating room.

Max wasn't so sure, and she knew they had both been very lucky so far in terms of miracles. Why did we waste so much time, she pondered, why didn't we figure this out years ago? Kenny, I need you, please come back to me. I can't do this by myself.

"I hope so," Max replied distantly, as most of her thoughts were concentrated on her husband. Good and bad times, she thought as their long tumultuous relationship passed before her eyes. I can't lose him, how do I even begin to say good-bye to the other half of myself?

Jimmy hated the way the she lapsed back into the silent, terrified state, and felt an overwhelming surge of fatherly protection for her. Deep down he feared that they all might lose Kenny, but he knew that if he fell apart, Max would soon follow. Burying his own terror, Jimmy turned back to his pregnant deputy.

"Do you need anything? Max?" Jimmy asked. "He wouldn't want you to worry like this."

"What should I do then? Shall we go out for drinks and dancing?" Max snapped, as her terror flooded to the surface. "Or maybe take in a movie?"

Jimmy watched her internal battle, as she began to pace the waiting room. Jimmy prayed for Jill to come back and tell them that everything was alright, and soon. That this had all been some dumb mistake. He turned his head towards the door, and willed his wife to come back through it.

Max pushed her tangled mess of red hair of off her face, and ran her hand over her bump. She hadn't been this scared when Jen had pulled the gun on her, but the thought of facing the rest of her life without Kenny being a part of it, she honestly didn't know what she was going to do. Even when they were broken up, he was still a large part of her life. Max remembered clinging to that thought during those months apart, but she felt like she had nothing to hold on to now. She heard Jimmy come up behind her, and felt his hand on her arm.

"Have a seat," he said softly. "You're exhausted and it's been a rough day, before all this happened. Not to mention you're six months pregnant, and I don't want to have to worry about two of my deputies tonight."

Max nodded, and let him lead her back to the couch, for another long wait.

"Hi," Carter called nervously from the doorway. "I just heard."

Jimmy waved him, and he joined them on the waiting room couch.

Carter watched his two friends carefully, Jimmy so stoic, and Max just trembling in the sterile room. Jill came bursting back through the double doors, with guilt and relief mixed into her expression.

"I'm so sorry," she began, and Max looked up in dread. "It wasn't Kenny coding. He's still in recovery, but he's doing fine. Max, I don't even know how to begin to apologize for scaring you like that."

Max processed what Jill was saying, and couldn't find the words to express the mixture of relief, gratitude and anger for being put through this emotional wringer twice.

"Jill, he's okay?" Jimmy asked, feeling a lead weight life off of his chest.

"It was someone else, and older patient with heart problems," Jill confirmed. "He's fine too, but I knew what you both must have been thinking."

No you don't, Max thought, as she struggled to respond. "Jill? Can I see him? Please?"

"He'll be up soon," Jill said, hearing the fear in her voice. "And then, yes. He's still critical Max, but he fought hard this far."

"I know him, he won't give up," Max said quietly. "I need to be with him now Jill… I need to see... He needs me there."

Jill nodded, seeing the pain her in young friend's eyes, and Jill hated knowing that she prolonged it. She had watched these two people for years, and she knew how close they were. Remembering how Kenny was practically tethered to Max's bed side after Chuck Dante had shot her, Jill knew that Max would be sticking around for awhile.

"I'll go check to see when he's going to be up," Jill said standing.

**111111111111111111**

Max watched him sleep an hour later, and took his limp hand between hers. Holding it gently, she squeezed softly and willed him to squeeze back. She watched his chest rise and fall, and tried to stay positive. She half listened to Jill when she went over the damage the bullet had done, and Max knew that it ricocheted around and caused some internal bleeding, which they staunched. Using her other hand to run her fingers through his hair and stroke his cheek, she promised herself that they would both stay out of dangerous situations; although in their line of work it wasn't really that possible. The last thing Max wanted to do was to leave their child an orphan. Or even worse, be raised by her family.

"Oh, Kenny," she said softly to his still form. "We've got to stop doing this to ourselves. I think we've spent more time in hospitals the last few years, then anywhere else. I love you, and I need you."

Max pulled her legs up to her chest, and tucked her protruding stomach behind them. Lapsing back into silence, she watched her husband sleep, as Jill came back in.

"You should go home and rest," Jill said quietly. "It's been quite a night, and I don't want you to over exert yourself."

"I'm pregnant, not stupid," Max said, not budging from her chair. "I can't leave him alone here, Jill."

The words echoed familiar to Jill, and she was fairly certain that she heard Kenny say the same thing about Max years before. She didn't have the heart to drag Max out of there, especially after giving her an extra scare earlier. She looked at her pale and tired expression with concern, but Jill doubted she would have much luck sleeping at home. Still, Jill wanted Max to get some rest, for her, the baby, and for Kenny.

"There is a spare bed over there. I'll let you stay under a few conditions," Jill relented. "One, you lie down and try to sleep. You're over six months pregnant, Max, and they haven't been the easiest six months. Two, you eat something. Three, tomorrow I'm going to examine you to make sure everything is going alright. Understood?"  
"Fine," Max agreed because she wasn't about to just leave him here alone, and if their baby was anything like it's parents it would be used to awkward, odd, stressful situations. "Jill… thank you."

Jill nodded, and pointed to the other bed.

**111111111111111111**

"Suicide?" Jimmy asked Skeeter over the phone the next day. "When?"

"After we recaptured Dr. Davis," Skeeter informed him. "Cornerstones called and told us that Gina Troy had hung herself. The gist of her note apologizing to Kurt, and saying how she couldn't live without Jen."

"Poor woman, man," Jimmy said, knowing that despite being a murderer, she had lived through terrible circumstances. "No family?"  
"All dead," Skeeter continued for him, and most of them had been killed by her after all. "They want to know what to do with the body."

"Kurt's was shipped back to Fort Lauderdale, and buried with their parents. I guess send hers back too," Jimmy said slowly, feeling tiredness creep into his old bones. He stopped by the hospital that morning, and smiled to himself when he saw Max curled up and sound asleep in the other bed.

"I'll let them know," Skeeter said, before pausing. "How's Kenny doing? Carter said he was in bad shape, but…"

"We'll have to wait and see," Jimmy said, trying to stay positive. "I'm going to stop back at Thayer on my way into the office. I'll have an update for you then."

**111111111111111111**

"You have to eat," Jill prodded the next morning. "I'm not going to have to worry about you too."

Max reluctantly accepted the bagel, and was grateful for the change of clothes Jill had brought her that morning. Jill continued to check her pulse, and Max was anxious to get back to Kenny. She wanted to be with him in case anything good or bad happened. She wanted him to know that she was there for him, the same way he had been for her lately.

"Your pulse is fine, but your blood pressure is up," Jill said briskly, filling in the chart. "I'm not surprised, given the circumstances of late, but you need to relax."

"Relax? My husband is unconscious after being shot and you tell me to relax? Are you serious? Why don't I just fly to the moon then," Max asked, trying to stay calm. "Or maybe I could try and touch my toes?"

"Don't get so testy," Jill advised in doctor tone. "I know you're hurt and scared right now, Max, but you've got to take care of yourself and the baby inside you."

Sighing. "I know."

"Go on. I'll check up on you later," Jill said, as Max slid off of the table.

****

"Hi there," Max said softly, as Kenny cracked his eyes open to look at her. "I've been waiting for you to wake up."

He looked at her with a blank stare, and Max's relief knew no bounds. She squeezed his hand between hers, and thanked whatever mystical power that was up there for giving them another chance.

"Max," he whispered, placing her. "I didn't think you'd be here."

She pulled back, puzzled by his comment, as Jill came in. "Why not?"  
Kenny closed his eyes again, and Jill reached down to check his pulse. Max took a step back to stay out of her way as she examined him. Wondering what Kenny meant by his vague statement, Max attributed it to the drugs and his own drowsiness. Jill walked back over to her, after checking him out.

"He seems okay, just a little groggy. I want to run some more tests and x-rays though," Jill said softly. "He needs to sleep off some of the drugs, Max, so if you want to take a break from all of this, now would be a good time. He needs time to recover, and I know he'll need you to be there for him when he's alert again."

Max nodded, feeling her own exhaustion hitting her. Knowing that Kenny was going to be alright was like being let out of a dark room. She could handle everything else now

"Just a few more minutes? I know he's asleep, but," Max trailed off, hoping that Jill would understand.

"Okay," Jill replied, seeing the look in her eyes. "I'll be back."

Max settled back down in her chair, and watched her sleeping husband.

**111111111111111111**

"I don't need a baby-sitter," Max told Skeeter and Jimmy later that night. "I just need to go to bed, and get some sleep."

"You promise us that is the only thing your doing after we leave," Jimmy said sternly. "I talked to Jill, and she doesn't want to see you at Thayer until after eight in the morning. No sneaking out."

"I'm not a child," Max said exasperated.

"I don't want to have to tell my good friend why his six and half month pregnant wife was running all over town while he was laid up in the hospital," Skeeter interjected. "Humor us here Max."  
"Okay," she agreed. "I'll stay, but would you two please just go? I'm 31 years old, and I'm more then capable of taking care of myself. Despite the increasing number of crazy people who like to try and kill me."

"You've done pretty well fending them off," Jimmy said dryly.

Max smiled for the first time in days at his comment, and Skeeter gave her a quick hug before the two men left.

**111111111111111111**

"How are you feeling?" Jill asked Kenny the next morning. She'd talked to Max at seven, and told her that she wanted to run some tests on Kenny. Jill knew that she was anxious to see her husband, and told her young friend to come in around nine. She knew that Max wouldn't relax until she was positive that everything was alright. Jill glanced at her watch, and knew they still had a few more minutes.

"Sore," Kenny gasped. "I don't even remember what happened."

"That's normal," Jill replied. "You gave us a scare last night, and I practically had to drag Max out of here."

"Max," he said quietly. "I thought she was mad at me."

"Whatever it was, I'm sure she's forgiven you for it now," Jill said, as she heard a soft rapping on the door. "Well, look who it is."

Max gave her a small smile, and Jill thought she looked adorable in a white peasant maternity blouse and jeans. Her red hair was loose and hung to her shoulders, and Jill could see the relief clear on her face. Whatever fight Kenny had been talking about was long forgotten. Kenny looked at her for a moment before saying anything.

"Max… You're here," Kenny said confused. "How long was I out for?"

Max and Jill exchanged a quick look before Max responded. "Two days. Why?"

Kenny closed his eyes briefly, then gazed at her again. "You look different… I didn't think he'd let you be here."

"Who?" Max asked, having no idea what he was talking about. He seemed alert, just very confused when he looked at her. "Kenny?"

"Danny, who else? I thought he would drag you away from anything to do with me," Kenny said, as Max recoiled away from him in shock and Jill gasped.

"Danny?" Max asked numbly, as she felt nausea building up. "Why wouldn't he let me be here? How could he stop me, Kenny?"

"What's the last thing you remember?" Jill interjected.

"Fighting with Max," Kenny said slowly. "After the drunk driver plowed into the kid."

Max took a deep breath, as she realized that Kenny had no clue about what had happened in the last few years. She turned to Jill, not sure how to respond to this.

"What's wrong?" he asked to the two women, as his gaze focused on Max's pregnant stomach. "I wasn't out just two days was I? Max? You didn't have that stomach a few days ago… Are you pregnant?"

Max nodded, not trusting her voice at that moment.

"You and Danny," Kenny trailed off, trying to be happy for her, even though he detested the man.

She shook her head, not even wanting to think about having a child with that man, as Jill added. "Kenny, I think you're experiencing some memory loss, and I want to run some more tests. The events you're describing, they happened awhile ago."

"How long ago?" Kenny asked, studying their worried expressions. "What aren't you telling me?"

"It's nothing to be concerned with yet," Jill said quickly. "I'm going to schedule some tests, so why don't you two visit for awhile? Kenny, you need to rest before we do anything else. Max, keep him entertained for a few minutes?"

She nodded, and didn't really know what to say. Jill gave her a warning look not to get him worked up about not remembering their life and left.

"What's going on?" Kenny asked. "What aren't you telling me?"

"Nothing, nothing," Max insisted, lowering herself into a chair. "You know Jill, she just wants to be cautious. How are you feeling?"

"I've been better," he said, his gaze lowering to her pregnant stomach. "You're having a baby?"

"That seems to be the general reaction around town," Max said dryly, trying not to let her hurt show, and she longed to throw her arms around him and tell him never to scare her like that again. That she wasn't going to have their child grow up without both of its parents.

Kenny couldn't help but feel like he'd lost her when he saw that she was pregnant with Danny's baby, and he knew that the bastard would never let her go now. "Congratulations, Max, you're going to be a great Mom. And Danny… I'm sure he'll be a good Dad."

She nodded quickly, and she wanted to scream that this child didn't belong to Danny Shreve, and hearing his name made her want to vomit. She could have kicked Jill for leaving her here like this, and Max really didn't know what to tell him about anything. Overjoyed that he was alive, but Max had to wonder how he would handle it when they told him everything.

"I'm looking forward to it," she said vaguely. "Two and half more months."

"Hey, you look like you're about to cry," Kenny said softly.

"Hormones," Max replied trying to keep her voice even. "It's not Danny's baby."

"Whose is it then?" Kenny asked confused, as Jill came back in. "Max?"

Jill shot her a look before turning back to Kenny. "We're going to take a couple of more scans now, just to take a look. Max, I need to talk to you out in the hall."

Max nodded. "Um, I'll see you later, okay? Feel better Kenny."

He watched her go in silence, and he felt a deep desire to find out what was going on with her. If it wasn't Danny's baby, he had no idea who it belonged to, and Kenny knew Max wasn't one to sleep around.

"Jill, what's going on?" Max asked quietly in the hall. "Why can't he remember? Listening to him talk about Danny…"

"I'm not sure," Jill replied. "Short term memory loss is common for traumatic injuries."

"Short term? We're talking five years," Max replied quickly.

"That's why I'm having some more tests done," Jill said softly, laying a hand on her friend's shoulder. "I know it looks bad right now, but stay positive."

**111111111111111111**

Kenny lay in his hospital bed after Jill put him through what seemed like hours worth of medical tests. He didn't like the looks in her or Max's eyes when they were talking to each other, and felt like he had to know what was going on with her. Something about her being pregnant was haunting him, and she promised she would be back soon. He wasn't letting her get away this time without explaining it to him.

"Hey! How are doing?" Jimmy called from the doorway, and Carter came up behind him. After playing telephone tag with Jill all day, Jimmy decided to come down and see how Kenny was.

"Hanging in there," Kenny replied, glad to see them, and he hoped that they might know what was up with Max. "I feel like I got run over by something."

"Not surprising," Carter said.

"Any idea when you're going to be getting out of here?" Jimmy asked.

"Not yet. Jill's being vague about it, and I don't think that they're telling me everything," Kenny said. "I don't like that."

"You've been a cop to long if you're thinking like that," Jimmy replied dryly. "She's probably just being cautious, and I know she doesn't want Max to take on too much while she is pregnant."

"What?" Kenny asked slowly. "Max? What would she have to do?"

"Knowing her, everything. Hell, you married her, you know," Jimmy replied off handily, as Max wandered back in and nearly fell over when she heard Jimmy's comment. Kenny stared at her for a long instance without saying anything, and he couldn't really comprehend what Jimmy had just said.

"I, what?" he sputtered, as Max regained her footing. "Max?"

Jimmy and Carter turned to her puzzled, and she could feel all three men watching her and waiting for some sort of explanation. Silently cursing Jill for not letting her tell Kenny everything earlier, she really didn't know what to say.

"Um. He doesn't remember the past couple of years," Max settled on.

"You don't?" Carter asked dumbly.

"You're my wife," Kenny asked, as if he hadn't heard him. "We actually got married?"

"How can you not remember?" Jimmy asked.

"And you're pregnant? Max? We're having a baby?" Kenny asked, as if they were the only two people in the room. "You're not kidding?"

She shook her head, and couldn't respond. Her emotions were all over the place of late, and she now had a full understanding of pregnancy hormones. She struggled not to cry, and she could see as dazed as Kenny was by the news, he didn't seem to upset by it.

"I think we'll give you two some alone time," Jimmy interjected. "And we're going to find Jill."

Max watched them all but flee from the room, and she didn't know what to say to Kenny then. He was watching her expectantly from the bed, and she knew Jill wanted to keep him calm. She moved slowly over to his side, and longed to hold him in her arms. "I'm not kidding," she began, trying to stay together. "We got married almost two years ago, and we've had out ups and downs… but it's been good."

"You're my wife," he repeated in disbelief. "I never thought that you'd actually want to be. What happened to Danny?"

"I've always wanted to be with you," she said hoarsely, avoiding his question because she knew it would upset him. "Shh. Just rest okay? We've got plenty of time to talk about this."

"I want to remember," he said drinking her in. "I always wanted you."

Max smiled sadly at him, as Jill came in to examine him after all of the revelations.

**111111111111111111**

Kenny lay in bed the next morning contemplating that fact that he was actually married to Max, and she was pregnant with their child. He concentrated as hard as he could to try and remember their life together, but nothing came to him. It was a big blank slate, and it killed him to know that there was a huge chunk of his life missing. An important part, and he knew it had to be rough on Max as well. She did her best not to show it, but he knew her to well to know when she was upset. He couldn't believe that he could just forget everything, and he longed to remember just something about his life.

**111111111111111111**

"Will anything come back? You have to know something," Max asked Jill, at the same time Kenny was trying to piece his life back together.

"We'll have to wait and see, and be patient," Jill said calmly. "He's been through a terrible trauma Max, and it takes time to recover from that."

Max nodded, and felt frustrated with the whole thing, and part of her wanted to cry out. She wanted to know why us, and not some of the other of millions of people out there.

"He's fine physically," Jill continued. "As for the rest, just be with him. You've always been friends, and he obviously wants you there, even if he was shocked to find out the two of you were married. He certainly didn't seem opposed to the idea."

"That was a relief," Max replied dryly. "I don't know… not to sound full of self pity, but why do these things keep happening to us? Would it be possible to have a few days not full of drama?"

"You're living in the wrong town if you're looking for normal. Go see your husband, I know he was looking for you earlier," Jill replied. "Talk to him, and maybe something will come back."

**111111111111111111**

Kenny watched her as she did her best to hold up her end of the conversation, but could see the strain on her face.

"Max," he said, interrupting. "Could I ask you some stuff? You know, about us? I know Jill wants me to remember it, but I hate not knowing how I ended up being married to my best friend."

"How do you think it happened?" Max asked, curious to see what he'd been thinking about over the past few days.

"I don't know," Kenny said frustrated, as he saw faint images dancing around the edges of his thoughts. "You said there was good and bad, and I want to know something at least. You're my wife, which sounds so weird to me, how did we get to this point?"

"It took awhile," Max said softly. "It started a year and half after your memories end off, on Valentines Day. Everything, all the games we had played with each other… they all just came to head and everything came pouring out."

"I told you," Kenny trailed off as something flashed through his thoughts. "I told you that…"

"You told me what?" Max asked quietly, seeing him struggling with something. "Kenny?"  
"That I was afraid that you would go, and I couldn't handle that," Kenny continued, as that night came tumbling back to him. "Max, I remember it."  
She grinned at him, and he stared at her, as memories drifted back.


	12. Shock

"I remember it," Kenny repeated, recalling the way he had kissed her that night, and how he had trembled as he held her. How scared he was when he told her everything he had felt because part of him was absolutely terrified that she wouldn't feel the same way.

Max nodded, not trusting her voice in that instant, and by the way he looked at her she could tell that he was remembering how they had come together.

"You looked so beautiful in that red dress," he said softly. "Even when you slapped me."

"I don't think I ever did apologize for that," Max replied quietly. "Even though you did deserve it."

"Did I?" Kenny asked, glad to have a glimpse of his life back, and he took it as a good sign that something was coming back to him. "I want to know it all."

"It'll come back," Max said a lot more confidentially then she felt. "It has too."

"Why?"

"We've been through to much for it not too," Max replied quietly, almost afraid to tell him that she loved him. Even if he remembered that one night, she wasn't sure if he felt the same way about her, and she didn't want to have to put him in that position.

"Tell me about that," he said gesturing to her stomach. "How did it happen?"

Max grinned despite her mood. "Do I have to tell you were babies come from?"

Kenny tried to picture what sex with Max would be like, and if was anything like that kiss on Thanksgiving, or making out with her on that night that he could recall, he had to think that it would pretty damn good. Looking at the beautiful woman in front of him, he was curious to see how she would react if he touched her. Slowly he reached out and took her hand in his. Squeezing gently, Kenny realized how badly he wanted to kiss her then. She was his wife after all, and they had to have done all this stuff before.

"I know where babies come from," Kenny replied not taking his eyes off of her. "Did we plan on it?"

"Oh it was kind of a shock," Max replied surprised that he had reached out for her. "For both of us. It still is somewhat."

"Max, I," he faltered, not knowing how to say what he was thinking. "I hate this not knowing, and I can tell by looking at you... I don't know if I've ever told you this before... I wanted this with you."

Max smiled at him, and squeezed his hand back. "I know. You've made that perfectly clear to me for awhile now."

"I know this is hurting you," he said softly. "You don't have to pretend."

She nodded, feeling slightly choked up at his honesty. "These hormones are getting the best of me, Kenny. We've had our ups and downs in the last few years, and selfishly it does hurt that you don't remember our life. I know there are things that I would rather forget, but they're part of us."

"Us," he repeated, and decided that the word sounded right when talking about him and Max. They had always been an us. "Max?"

"Kenny?"

He tugged on her hand, and she leaned in closer to him. He studied her for minute, just drinking her in. Cupping her face in his hands, he just had to kiss her. She nodded slightly, and let him pull her in. His lips brushed against hers softly at first, almost tentatively, and Max couldn't help but feel a tingle rushing down her spine. Kenny ran his hands through her long hair, and couldn't believe that he was sitting in a hospital making out with this gorgeous creature that happened to be his pregnant wife. Wrapping his arms more tightly around her he deepened the kiss, and felt Max tremble against him.

"Whoa! What's going on in here?" Jill exclaimed, seeing Kenny all wrapped around Max. She did her best to suppress a smile at the picture of the pregnant woman and amnesiac man necking in here. "You, lie down. You're still recovering from a gunshot wound. And you should be gone by now, visiting hours were over hours ago and I don't like the thought of you driving around late at night in your condition."

"Yes Mom," Max said dryly, as they pried themselves reluctantly apart. She caught Kenny's wondrous expression as he pulled away, and there was something else there. They way he was looking at her, it almost felt familiar.

"Sorry Jill, my fault," Kenny admitted. "I just wanted to...Well she is my wife."

Jill caught the glance between them, and couldn't help feel glad that they were connecting on some level. "Yes she is, and she should be home from now. And you need to rest."

"Okay, okay," Max agreed. "I'm going."

"Hey, hold up for a second," Kenny said, reaching out for her again. He grasped her hand between his, and just looked at her for a minute. "Max."

"I know," she said softly, searching for recognition in his eyes. "Ssh, get some rest, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah," he agreed, letting go of her. "Tomorrow."

**1212121212121212**

Jen couldn't believe her horrendous luck to be locked back up in the Rome Wisconsin Sheriff Station. I should have killed that bitch right away, she thought, but at least I got a shot of at that husband of hers. Jen vaguely remembered Max's scream, and tackling her down to the floor. She could hardly believe that she did that, without regard to her own safety, and Jen privately scoffed at the other women's heroic acts. She knew that she would have easily shot the other two men, as well as Max if she hadn't tackled her. Cursing the woman once more for foiling her revenge plot, Jen knew that she had to get her out of the picture at some point because no one got the best of Dr. Jennifer Davis.

**1212121212121212**

Jimmy paused outside the door to Kenny's room, and after the other day of spilling the news about his marriage to Max, Jimmy wasn't to sure what to say to the younger man. According to Jill, the news was devastating to Kenny, in fact he seemed rather pleased about it. It warmed Jimmy's heart to know that Kenny had those feelings towards Max all those years ago. He felt hopeful that even if all of Kenny's memories didn't return to him that he and Max would still work it out. Knocking on the door, as he came in he forced himself to be cheerful.

"How you feeling?" Jimmy asked in way of greeting. "Jill going to spring you anytime soon?"

Kenny shrugged. "Don't know. A little sore, but otherwise fine. At least physically."

"These things take time."

"Do they? It's like a big blank nothing," Kenny lamented. "Bits and pieces that don't make much sense come and go, but nothing solid, except for one night."

"What night?" Jimmy asked curious to see what stood out so vividly that it would come back to him when everything wouldn't.

Kenny paused, not sure if he should really tell his boss this. "Ah, the night Max and me decided to give this a shot."

"Well, it's a step in the right direction," Jimmy replied. "And if that came back, everything else should follow. Don't push it."

"How can't I? I've got a pregnant wife who doesn't need the added stress of this," Kenny said flatly. "And I want to remember, not just for me, for her, and our kid. Max deserves more then this."

"Do you love her?" Jimmy asked bluntly, not being able to stop the words from coming out.

Kenny paused at Jimmy's question, and was shocked that he would get so personal. "I... That's never been a problem, I've always been in love with her. Telling her was the problem."

"She knows," Jimmy said. "And she feels the same way. Let her know, Kenny, Max tries so hard to stay strong but she has a soft center that does bruise."

Kenny nodded as thoughts danced around the edge of his consciousness.

**1212121212121212**

Max grabbed her coat, and caught sight of her reflection in the mirror before throwing it on. Pausing for a second, she straightened her sleeveless blue wrap around shirt over her bump. She had to grin when looking down at it, and she couldn't help feeling a little giddy about prospective motherhood. She didn't even mind the extra weight, and she knew that it served a greater purpose in the end. Shrugging her jacket on she threw open the door and jumped back in surprise.

"Kimberly! Uh, hi," Max said lamely, not knowing what to say to the young woman. "What are you doing here?"

"I just," Kim stammered. "I know you must hate me, but I wanted to... I don't know. Apologize, I never meant for any of this to happen."

Max sighed, and beckoned her inside. "I don't hate you Kimberly. Part of me wants to, but a bigger part wants to understand why now? It wasn't just me you hurt, Kenny was devastated and I know Pete felt awful. Not to mention your parents."

"Everyone has someone," Kim said softly." But me. Kenny always treated me like an adult, and everyone that I've dated recently... I just feel alone."

"I know that feeling," Max replied honestly. "Kim, you're a lovely young woman, and when you meet the right guy, he'll be lucky. Loneliness sucks believe me, but you're only 22 years old. Don't settle for anyone just yet."

"I think I need some professional help."

"You're talking to the wrong person about therapy," Max said sarcastically. "I've had two therapists who like to murder people. I'm not going to be the spokesperson on therapy anytime soon, although I'm sure there are some reputable psychiatrists out there somewhere."

"Maybe I'll go find one," Kim said. "Is Kenny going to be alright? I heard that he's lost some of his memory."

"I hope so," Max said, still feeling a little wary of Kimberly's concern. "Your Mom is hopeful that it'll come back, and he get bits and pieces occasionally."

"That's good," Kim said quickly. "I'd like to go visit, but I understand if you don't want me too."

"I'll make you a deal. Go talk things out with your parents, and we'll see," Max said. "I don't know what is going to happen the whole memory loss, but once I know for sure, we'll see."

"Okay," Kim agreed. "And, Max, thank you for at least listening to me."

"If I've learned one thing recently, it's that forgiveness goes along way," Max replied. "I keep thinking of Jen and all her anger, and Gina, and if they could have just let go of it... this all might not have happened."

**1212121212121212**

Max paused by Kenny's hospital room door when she heard the voices inside. Not one to snoop, she smiled to herself, she paused to listen to Kenny and Jimmy chat for a few minutes. Besides she didn't want to interrupt their visit.

"I can't believe it," Kenny said.

"Stranger things have happened," Jimmy replied dryly. "We both know that."

Kenny shook his head in amazement, and even though he knew what Jimmy was talking about, it still seemed as completely out there as it did before.

"What are you doing?" Jill whispered to Max, sneaking up behind her.

Max jumped back in surprised, and smiled sheepishly at her friend. "Me? I didn't want to disrupt them."

"Eavesdropping," Jill added.

"Somewhat," Max agreed. "Anything new to tell me?"

"That's what I'm getting at," Jill replied, gesturing towards the door. "Care to come with me?"

"Oh, sure," Max replied, torn on her decision to tell Jill about Kim's visit earlier, but with all that both Jimmy and Jill had done for them of late Max felt like she owed to her. "Can you spare a minute though? I've got to tell you something."

"Alright," Jill said, noting Max's sudden nervousness.

Max hesitantly related her and Kimberly's earlier conversation, and her apprehensiveness about Kim's sudden turnaround.

"We'll talk to her when she's ready," Jill conceded. "It's been hard on Jimmy though... he feels a little guilty because some of the things she said hit home."

"It's not his fault," Max replied truthfully. "This whole situation... everything is screwed up."

"It'll get better," Jill replied, "Hopefully. You ready to go in?"

Jimmy and Kenny both turned to look at their respective spouses, and Max had to pause at Kenny's expression when he looked at her. It seemed like he was looking at her for the first time, and she didn't miss the small smile on Jimmy's mouth either.

"What's going on?" she asked sounding deliberately causal.

Kenny paused to study her for second. "Not much. We were talking about past cases and stuff."

"Past cases," Max asked, catching the look that passed between the two men. "Really? How far past?"

"How Wambaugh and Littleton went to the Supreme Court," Kenny said, just wanting to see her reaction as a huge chunk, about a year and half of his life returned to him, "And some bussing issues."

Max turned to Jimmy, who was watching her with a wide grin and he nodded to confirm as she turned back to Kenny. "You remember all that?"

"We're going for a walk," Jill interrupted, dragging Jimmy to his feet. "I'll be back soon."

"Yeah," Kenny replied, as Max shook her head in disbelief. "I remember you...making love to you that night... falling more in love with you everyday after that then I ever thought possible. I didn't tell Jimmy that part though."

"Oh, Kenny," Max whispered.

"Just holding you,," he paused before looking back at her. "Then it ended."

"Yeah it did," Max said. "For awhile."

"You," he trailed off as he remembered his reaction to her dye job. "We were looking for excuses... You looked like a different person as a blond."

"I felt like a different person," Max said. "Turning 30 freaked me out, although it doesn't sound so bad know that I'm 31."

"It's strange," Kenny repeated. "I wanted you back the minute I broke up with you... it took us so long to get back together..."

"What got us back together? What else do you remember?" Max managed to choke out, not sure how he would react to her shooting, and Max didn't want him to have to relive the trauma of her rape.

"You were mayor," he asked. "You?"

"You don't need any qualifications in this town to be mayor, look at the track record," Max said wryly.

"I thought I lost you then," Kenny replied. "I thought you would die without knowing how I still felt."

"I always knew how you felt," Max said softly. "You remember all of that?"

Kenny nodded, as their reconciliation came back to him, and he wanted to pull her in his arms again and tell her how much he loved her. "Max, I remember it, up to the point when you got out of the hospital, then it was something about a new murderer, and it gets blurry again."

"Don't force it," Max blurted out, knowing how much it was going to hurt him to know about those four deaths and her rape, and she knew that he would have to know sometime, but he already looked overwhelmed by the incoming information so far. "I can't believe that it all came back to you. God, Kenny... This is wonderful."

"Max, what is the rest?" he asked cautiously. "Jimmy didn't want me to think about it too much either. It can't be all bad, after all we did get married in that time. And these last few months seems to be very interesting."

"Oh they have been," Max said dryly, watching him closely. "We just don't want you to strain yourself."

Kenny sat up slightly, as Jill and Jimmy stood in the doorway. Max watched his shocked expression turn to anger, and she knew that he was remembering Danny Shreve, the murders and her rape.

"That bastard," he said so quietly, that Max couldn't really make it out. He looked up at her then and she had to step back at the anger in his eyes.

"Ssh, calm down. It happened a few years ago, it's all fine now," Max said quickly.

"Fine? He raped you," Kenny said shocked to know that she had been through something so awful and not told him. "And you let me talk about how happy I was for you to be married to him and having his baby? Max, how couldn't you tell me that?"

"Because you were just shot," Max replied, trying to stay calm. "And you didn't remember anything that happened in the last five years, much less that. You didn't remember our life together, much less that. It made sense to you that it was his, and I didn't want to add anything to make this whole situation worse!"

"Asshole," he spat, as Jill and Jimmy hurriedly came back into the room.

"He most certainly was," Jill agreed. "But as Max said, it was all over years ago, and I want to know how your memories are progressing."

He ignored her. "You're alright? Honey?"

She nodded. "I'm fine, Kenny really. He's locked up, and he's going to stay that way."

He stared at her for an instant, as if checking to see if you really was.

"Okay, that was enough excitement for the moment," Jill interjected in the silence not wanting to talk about those few months that much either. "They're not anyone's favorite topic."

Kenny watched the three of them warily, and he knew that he needed to talk about. Looking at his beautiful, pregnant, radiant, wife, he didn't want to bring any more sadness into her life at the moment, but he needed to know what had happened to her. It killed him to know that someone had hurt her and he hadn't done anything to stop it. Looking at her strained expression, he decided to table the issue for the moment.

Max studied him as he came to grip with what happened, and she didn't know what to say. More then anything she wanted to just take him into her arms and tell him that everything was alright, but he looked like he was going to explode if anyone came to close to him.

"Fine," he agreed flatly, as Max sat tentatively on the edge of the bed. Ignoring Jimmy and Jill's presence for a moment, she took his hand in hers. He looked up at her and wanted to stay angry, but Kenny couldn't manage to while looking at her.

"It's the past," Max said softly. "Granted is sucks, but we moved on from it. If you want to talk about it we will, but not right now."

"You don't want to," he asked noting her reluctant expression.

"It's not my favorite subject," Max agreed, the thought of Danny enough to make her sick to her stomach.

Jill was tried for a third time to get their attention. "As the medical professional in the room, I've got to ask a few questions."

"What? Oh, okay," Max said as if realizing they were there for the first time. Kenny and her hands intertwined, and she knew that she wasn't going anywhere at that moment.

"Not to push a touchy subject, what is the last thing you remember?"

Glancing up at Max, he responded. "Taking Max to the hospital, then nothing."

"That's a lot of progress," Jill said encouragingly. "I know it's rough, but with this all coming back I believe that you'll recover most of the rest."

"The rest," Kenny asked numbly, not sure if he wanted to know everything else anymore. He looked up at Max, and smiled encouragingly at him. He still couldn't believe that the bastard had actually raped her. Jill prattled on about his tests, and he listened halfway because most of his attention was focused on Max. Squeezing her hand, he vowed to never let anything like that happen to her again.

**1212121212121212**

Kim hesitated outside the house she grew up in before ringing the doorbell. Deep down she wanted to make things right with her parents, but she didn't want to get into another fight with them. She thought of what Max had said about forgiveness, and she hoped that everyone could forgive her for what she had done in the last few months. Even if Kenny had no recollection of it, she wanted to make it up to the others. Raising her hand, she pressed the bell in.

"Kimberly," Jimmy said slowly, not knowing how to react to his eldest child.

"Hi Dad," she said quietly. "Can I come in?"

"It's your home too," Jimmy said flatly. "I'm surprised you want to be here."

"I wanted to talk to you and Mom, if you'd listen to me," Kim said, "Please."

"That's fine," Jimmy replied. "Come in. Jill, can you come out here for a minute?"

If Jill was surprised to see her, it didn't show to much. "Kimberly. How's school going?"

"I've had better semesters before," she replied before blurting out, "Mom, Dad, I'm so sorry for what I put you through. I felt so alone up at school, and I just wanted someone to love me. Even Carter Pike has a girlfriend."

"That isn't a good excuse," Jimmy replied, feeling badly that his daughter had hurt so much and they didn't know. "And we're not the ones that you own an apology to."

"I talked to Max this morning, and I'll talk to Kenny if he remembers it."

"How about Pete? The man can't look me in the eye."

"Pete," Kim said thoughtfully, thinking of the young deputy and how cute he was. "I can talk to him too, if he wants to listen."

"Do you want to stay for dinner?" Jill asked, knowing how glad Jimmy was to have his daughter back in the house.

Kim nodded, and the three went back to the kitchen.


	13. Realizations

"Pete, hi. Can I come in?" Kimberly asked hesitantly after knocking on the young deputy's door.

Pete had to restrain himself from stepping back from her, and he knew from their last conversation that she wasn't someone to back down easily. He studied the remorse in her eyes for a second, and he had to feel terrible about all that she had been through as well. He had heard bits and pieces of it from Kenny and Max, and he knew Jimmy was doing his best to cover his shock at his daughter's behavior.

"Sure," he said reluctantly. "Long time no see. How is everything going Kimberly?"

"Not so good," she sighed, as he moved to let her enter. "I've been looking at my own actions of late, and I don't like who I'm becoming Pete. I never in my entire life would have tried to hurt and manipulate someone the way I did to... well a lot of people. Have you ever just felt alone in the world? And you want one person to just accept you for who you are?"

"I think everyone has felt that way," Pete replied, watching her carefully. "Everyone is looking for somebody to care about them."

"I know. I talked to Max and my parents yesterday," Kim began. "Apologized, and tried to explain why I did what I did. All of them... they all listened to me. I'm not sure if Max believed me completely, but she was giving the benefit of the doubt. Mom and Dad, all I know is that I disappointed them, and I want them to be able to look at me without doubt and worry."

"Why are you telling me this?" Pete asked bluntly.

"I want to tell you how sorry I am," she continued quietly. "I took advantage of you and your crush on Max. I should have never put you in that position, I shouldn't have put anybody in it. It wasn't fair to you, Kenny, Max or my parents. I know you might never want to ever see me again or believe me, but I want to apologize. I think I need to get some help, but Pete I never meant to hurt you or anyone else."

Pete sighed. "You did hurt a lot of people, Kimberly, and it's going to take them awhile to heal. You can't make all of this disappear with one simple apology."

"I know, but it's a start," she replied firmly.

"That it is," Pete agreed, feeling some of his walls break down when he looked at her then, "Do you want to stay awhile? We can just hang out and talk some more?"

Kim nodded. "I'd like that."

**13131313131313**

Kenny couldn't tear his gaze away from Max, as she talked quietly with Jill in the corner. He knew they both thought he was asleep, but he just wanted to look at her for a few minutes. He decided that she looked like she swallowed a soccer ball, although the rest of her was as slim as ever. He couldn't help by speculate what their child would look like, and he hoped that it would have its mothers red hair. There was something about red hair, Kenny mused to himself, and he wanted to run his fingers through hers. Straining his ears a bit, he tried to pick up some of Max and Jill's conversation.

"Today? Are you sure?" he heard Max ask quietly.

"Physically, he's fine. The rest of the memory loss, being around familiar surroundings might jog some more of it," Jill replied. "I know you're under a lot of stress right now. I need to know if you can handle this."

"Of course I can," Max replied somewhat defensively. "The trial is over, and being pregnant isn't exactly a burden."

"It looks like it's agreeing with you," Jill replied, thinking how she was glowing. "Your due dates getting close, about two more months. Nervous yet?"

"Somewhat," she admitted. "I don't know anything about kids. I talked to my sister a few days ago, she has two, but she wasn't much help. They spend most of their time with a nanny."

"You'll be fine," Jill insisted, nodding towards Kenny. "I think that someone is awake."

Max turned to look back at him and shot him a quick smile. "Hi. I thought that you were sleeping."

"I was for awhile," Kenny replied, as the two women made their way over to his bed. "How long have you been here for?"

"About fifteen minutes," Max replied, catching Jill's eye. "I just wanted to check up on you."

"And," Kenny prodded, wanting to know what they were talking about.

"You're going home today," Jill informed him. "I still want you to get plenty of rest, but there isn't any need for you to be here anymore. Plus being around your own things might bring back the rest of your memories."

"Really?" he responded, and he realized that he wasn't exactly sure where home was. "I feel pretty good."

"It shouldn't take to long to get the paperwork in order, so I'll be back shortly," Jill said noting his distant expression.

Kenny watched her go before turning back to Max. "Hey, where do we live exactly?"

"We bought a house about a year ago, over on Lakeshore. We lived in your apartment for the first few months, but with all of our stuff we decided to get something bigger. It's nice, it backs up to the woods and if you take the path for about a half mile you come to the lake."

Kenny tried to picture it, but nothing came to him. "Well I guess I'll have to wait until I can see it."

"You practically dragged me there when you first saw it," she said with a smile. "And said it was big enough for the six kids you were planning on."

"You're not having six right now," he asked quickly.

"Not that I'm aware of," Max replied as she carefully lowered herself into a chair. Kenny watched her and part of him still couldn't believe that she was his wife. Even with all that he could remember part of him was still in shock over it. "I think that one will suffice for now."

"For now?" he asked grinning at her. "You planning ahead here?"

Max grinned back at him. "Hey, you're the one who wanted six."

"When did I tell you that?" Kenny asked.

Her smile faded, and Max knew that he didn't remember that conversation. "It was the night after you proposed to me, and we were wondering what would have happened if we started our relationship sooner."

"Oh," Kenny said thoughtfully, and looked over at her engagement and wedding ring. "I see I gave you my grandmother's ring."

"Yeah. You were quite sweet about it too," Max said truthfully, recalling that day in the park. "Oh Kenny... there's just so much that happened, and I hate the fact that your stuck at such a bad time."

"I keep picturing that night," he said quietly. "And I know you don't want to talk about it, but Max it just kills me to think of Danny hurting you like that."

She nodded and gathered up all her strength before responding. "Do you want to talk about it? Kenny I've been over it a thousand times, and I'll do it again. I know it hurts, and I want you to know that you were wonderful to me after it happened. I wasn't the easiest person to handle, but whatever I needed or wanted, you were there."

"You know what I want? I want to go home with you, and figure the rest of this out later," Kenny replied. "I don't want to drag you through this all again. Let's get out of here first."

Max smiled, feeling a little bit relieved that he wasn't going to push the rape issue with her. "Sounds like a plan."

Kenny knew that a giant burden had been lifted off her shoulders at his words and he so happy that he could give her at least that much. "Max? I love you... I know I haven't said it recently, but I do. I always have and I'll always be in love with you."

"Are you trying to make me cry?" Max said softly, as his words filled her heart. "I love you too, I've wanted to say it for weeks now, but I really wasn't sure how you'd take it."

Jill stood in the doorway and listened to the tail end of their conversation, and she could practically feel her heart break for her two friends. Rapping on the door softly, she came in with Kenny's release papers.

**13131313131313**

"She's not going to prison," Jimmy asked Georgia that same afternoon. "Bone is actually sending her to the mental institution?"

"She's not in her right mind, and with the proper help he believes that she might be able to get a grip on reality again," Georgia said. "Then she might be able to appreciate going to prison more."

"This women killed a dozen men, many of them criminals themselves, manipulated woman, and shot Kenny!"

"Some of the papers are calling her hero," Georgia said. "She saved these women from their abusers."

"She is a murder," Jimmy said evenly. "There are other ways to exact justice, that is what the system is for."

"I agree, but it is kind of poetic for the shrink to be sent to the institution," Georgia said with a smile. "She's not going to like that."

"Probably not," Jimmy conceded. "I'm not sure I do either."

**13131313131313**

"Wow," Kenny said, as he and Max went home. "We actually live here?"

"Yup," she said, smiling at his astounded expression. "We put a lot of work into it, but it's ours. At least it will be when we pay the mortgage off."

Kenny shook his head, as he turned back to look at her. "We've both certainly grown up. A house in the suburbs, a baby... what next? We don't own a mini-van do we?"

"No, you're bike is in the garage, even though you haven't taken me out on it since you knocked me up," Max said. "And your truck and my jeep. I'm putting off the mini-van, I'm not sure I'm soccer mom material."

"You're going to be great," Kenny said, as he pulled her into his arms. "Max?"

Max paused at his distant expression, and he looked deep in thought. "Hey, what is it?"

He looked down at her thoughtfully for a moment before responding. "We were in a park, and I remember being really nervous, right after the trial..."

He trailed off, and Max couldn't help getting her hopes up that it was all coming back as he continued. "I really said I wanted six kids? Guess you weren't making that up?"

"No," Max said through her tears.

"Our wedding," Kenny continued quietly. "You looked amazing, so beautiful... it scared me."

"It scared me too, all of it," Max said softly. "We were both ready to bolt that day."

He smiled at her, and she could tell that he remembered it by the glint in his eye. He tightened his arms around her waist and kissed her softly. "How could I have forgotten all of this? My wife... you know you're so much more then that to me? You're my best friend, Max, and the most intelligent, beautiful, caring, trustworthy, loyal, and incredibly sexy woman I've ever known."

"What happened to stubborn, reckless, impulsive, and ambitious?" Max asked through her tears. "I never thought you would look at me this way again."

He ran his fingers through her hair, and cupped her face in his hands. "I remember everything... nearly falling over when you said you were pregnant... you weren't kidding when you said these last few months have been interesting."

She shook her head, not quite able to speak yet. Never in her entire life had she felt so joyful and thankful, and when he lowered his mouth to hers Max vowed never to take any of this for granted again.

**13131313131313**

"You look great," Pete said to Kim later that same night. He wasn't really sure it was a good idea to date his bosses daughter, but he couldn't help feeling drawn to her. He knew she had serious issues to deal with, but Pete also realized that he had helped feed her fantasy. He couldn't help but feel attracted to her, and in many ways they were a lot alike.

"Thank you," she responded, smoothing out her short blue dress. "It's been awhile since I've been on a date."

"Me too," Pete said, thinking of their recent activities. "I just hope we both enjoy it.

He held out his hand to her and she took it shyly. Looking up into his handsome tanned face, Kim couldn't help smiling at him. He was adorable, she conceded and much closer to own age then Kenny. And single.

"Let's go have a good time," she said. "We've earned one."

**13131313131313**

"If she had hurt you while I was off talking to Kimberly," Kenny trailed off. "I couldn't have forgiven myself for that one."

"She didn't," Max insisted. "I'm pretty good at taking care of myself Kenny, even though I felt completely relieved when the three of you came bursting in. For all of five seconds."

"We're both going to have to be more careful," he replied. "We don't want our kids growing up without their parents."

"No we don't," Max agreed. "I said the same thing myself. We seem to attract trouble though, maybe we should have our auras cleaned."

"Our auras? You're not serious," Kenny asked, running his hands over her stomach.

She grinned at him, and wanted him. Max knew how much she hurt after she was shot a few years ago, and recalled when he tried kissing her the first day out of the hospital, well it hurt a lot. She just wanted to curl up with him, and hold him close. She was happy that they were both alive and healthy.

"You're wonderful," she breathed. "I love you Kenny, please just don't ever scare me like that again."

"I won't," he promised, taking her by the hand. "How about we go upstairs?"

**13131313131313**

"Pete," Kimberly moaned as he kissed her in the car. "Oh Pete."

Pete couldn't quite believe he was necking with Kimberly Brock after all they had done together in the past few months, and he was positive that her father would hate him for it.

"Kim," he gasped, pulling away slightly. "My god, you're beautiful."

She blushed slightly, and smoothed his hair back from his face. "You make me feel that way. Tonight has been terrific... You're the sweetest guy I've ever known."

Flattered by her compliment, Pete knew he didn't want to take advantage of this vulnerable girl. He knew she had been through a lot, and he wanted to take it slowly with her.

"Do you want to go out dancing?" he asked. "It's still early, and I know this great little club."

"Sure, I could work off some of that food I ate," she replied with a wide smile. "Lets go."

As he started up the car he couldn't help but feel like life was coming together again for him. Shooting a sideways glance at the young woman next to him he smiled to himself as he thought towards the future.

**13131313131313**

"She wants to see me," Max asked dubiously. "I thought she wanted to kill me."

"You don't have to do it," Jimmy replied, hoping that she would choose not too. "But knowing you the way I do, I thought you might want to."

Lying happily in Kenny's arms that morning the last thing Max wanted to do was move, much less go see Jen Davis who had tried to kill her and shot Kenny.

"Do we know why?" Max finally asked.

"She's psychotic," Jimmy said dryly. "She really doesn't need a reason then. She's been quiet lately, and I think she feels badly about what happened to Gina."

So do I, Max thought. "Gina had a lot of problems, more so then anyone realized before. I wish I had done more for her, and Jen should feel badly for taking advantage of her like that."

"Do you want to see her or not?" Jimmy asked.

Glancing over at Kenny, and knowing his reaction to when she went to go see Danny, the last thing Max wanted to do was rock the boat anymore, but she was oddly intrigued by Jen's desire to see her.

"Can I think about it? She isn't getting dragged off to the hospital for a few more days," Max replied finally.

"That's fine," Jimmy replied. "How's everything going at home?"

Max smiled over at Kenny who was beginning to kiss her neck. "Oh things are a lot better. I'll let you know about that, I've really got to go. Something is starting to burn."

Knowing about Max's lack of aptitude in the kitchen, Jimmy said a quick good bye as Kenny continued to kiss her.

"What's burning?" he asked grinning at her, as he ran his hand over her pregnant stomach.

"Me," she replied kissing him quickly. He kissed her back, and their bodies easily joined together.

**13131313131313**

"Sir? Do you have a moment," Pete asked knocking on Jimmy's door.

Jimmy glanced up at the young deputy, and made note of his nervous expression. He knew that Pete had been avoiding him, and thought it must be serious for him to initiate a conversation.

"Sure, have a seat," Jimmy answered, as Pete closed the door behind him. He sat down reluctantly in front of Jimmy's desk and felt like he was in high school again.

"I know you don't think much of me," Pete began, and hated that he sounded like a teenager at the moment. "And I've bent over backwards trying to fix my past mistakes."

"I know."

"Well, um, Kimberly came to see me a few days ago, to apologize," Pete continued nervously. "And I know she feels terrible for everything that has happened, and is ready to move on from it."

"I know, she talked to Jill and myself," Jimmy said, wondering were Pete was heading with this conversation.

"She didn't want me to come and talk to you," Pete replied hastily. "But I wouldn't feel right about this without at least asking you. She is your daughter after all."

"Yes she is," Jimmy agreed, having no idea what Pete was talking about.

"We went out to dinner and then went dancing a few nights ago," Pete said finally. "And I really like her sir. I know we both made some mistakes, but we're doing our best to rectify them."

"You want to date my daughter?" Jimmy said slowly, thinking that this situation reeked of déjà vu. "You're serious?"

"Yes," Pete said nervously. "I know how you reacted when she and Kenny went out, but I'm 23 and she's 22, we're both adults here."

"You hurt my daughter, and I'll hurt you."

"Yes sir," Pete replied rising, holding out his hand. "Thank you sir."

Jimmy shook it reluctantly, and hoped that Pete might be a good influence on his daughter. He was honest when he messed up, and he genuinely seemed to care about people. He was just misguided, and Jimmy promised to monitor the situation.

**13131313131313**

"You sure?" Jimmy asked Max lowly the same day. "She's put you through the ringer lately."

"I'm sure," Max replied, with a lot more confidence then she had. "Professionally I'm curious about why she wants to see me, and personally I want to throttle her."

"Stay professional then," Jimmy said dryly. "Go on in."

Max shot him a look, and knew that he'd be waiting for her at the end of the hallway. Recently she had found his fatherly concern for her sweet instead of feeling resentful for it. Knowing her protectiveness for her unborn child, Max understood where he was coming from. Slowly she walked down to Jen's cell, and the therapist looked up with a malicious grin.

"Well you're looking plump," she said in way of greeting. "Most women would kill to look like that when they're pregnant."

"I hear you kill for a much lesser reason," Max shot back, as she tried to retain her professionalism.

"No, I do it to save lives," Jen replied. "Thanks to you and your friends here these bastards will get away with it."

"There are other options," Max argued, knowing that they had this argument before. "What did you want, Doctor? You're not my favorite person at the moment."

"How is you husband doing?"

"Fine," Max said evenly by sheer force of will, not wanting Jen to get the reaction she was looking for.

"I wanted to talk about Gina," Jen replied lowly. "She would have never killed herself if her past hadn't come out. I want you to know that I hold you entirely responsible for her death. You could have kept your mouth shut and honored your vow to the group, but instead you drove a fragile women to suicide. I hope you're satisfied with yourself, and you can go to bed happy every night knowing you did your civic duty."

"She didn't have to kill herself," Max replied just as coldly as Jen, "She's not the first person to have problems, and her past would have never been an issue if the two of you hadn't killed Kurt Campbell. Don't put this on me, you took advantage of that girls emotions and used them."

"He hurt her, and deserved to pay," Jen insisted. "As do you, but that is going to happen another time."

Max smiled at her. "I feel badly that Gina was abused so badly throughout her life, by her family and by you. And you're right, I do feel partly responsible for her death, and I wish I did more for her when she was alive. Like making her report her brothers abuse of her, but I don't pin your guilt on me."

"You bitch," Jen hissed. "When I get out of here..."

"You won't," Max finished for her. "Have a good time at the funny farm."


	14. Breathe

"I can't see my feet," Max said six weeks after her conversation with Jen. "Do my sock's match at least?"

"You're not wearing any," Kenny replied tossing his magazine aside to study his wife, and knew she was awfully uncomfortable lately. She rubbed her lower back, and couldn't seem to sit still. "Hey are you all right? Max?"

"I'm fine for someone who has a bag of rocks in her stomach. How can something that weighs maybe 8 pounds feel like that? My back hurts, it keeps kicking me, and I can't get comfortable. I'm ready for it to get out of me," Max groaned.

"It'll happen soon enough," Kenny replied, as she glared at him.

"Soon enough? You have no idea what this is like," Max replied. "Next time, you can do this part."

"I'm not sure that's possible," Kenny replied, trying not to laugh at her pouting. "But stranger things have happened around here."

Max shifted uncomfortably on the bed, and couldn't believe that she still had two weeks until her due date. She wasn't sure she could live like this much longer, and all she wanted was maybe an hour of not being in this constant hell. Up until a week ago she didn't hurt, and all of the sudden she ached everywhere.

"Can I do anything? I can't stop it from kicking you, but anything else?" Kenny asked, wanting to do something to relieve her of her discomfort, after all he was partly responsible for her being that way.

"No," Max said, shifting again. "Unless you just want to yank it out of me."

"Ah, as appealing as that sounds, I'll pass," Kenny replied still trying to keep a straight face.

"Oh come on. It's not like you've never delivered a baby before," Max pleaded.

"Yeah, but those women were in labor," Kenny stressed. "Relax."

She shot him a dark look, and didn't respond. Inhaling sharply, as it kicked her again. "Son of a bitch! Would you just cut that out?"

"Maybe he's getting ready to make an appearance," Kenny suggested, watching as the baby gave another strong kick.

"Yeah?"

Carefully he wrapped one arm around her shoulders, and laid his other hand on her stomach.

"Shit that does hurt," Kenny said surprised when it kicked again. "What are we growing in there? A soccer player?"

"I don't know," Max replied distantly, he pulled her more tightly against him. Feeling somewhat comforted by just being held, she let her body relax some. Kenny gently massaged her back, and she laid her head on his shoulder. Trying to ignore the active kicking in her stomach, Max tried to remind herself that in a few weeks that they would be parents, and that would be worth it.

**141414141414**

"I doubt they would go for it, besides isn't Max about to give birth?" Pete replied, shocked at Kimberly's suggestion. "I know you two talked it out, but I don't think it means that either one of them is ready to forgive and forget."

"It could be a way of starting to make amends," Kim argued. "I know that neither one of them likes me very much, but this is a small town. I don't want them to hate me, or feel like they have to avoid me. Besides the three of you work together, and I know all of you put it behind you professionally."

"I'm sure Kenny wouldn't mind smacking me around though," Pete said dryly. "After all I wanted to steal his wife away from him, but we're all able to work together with minimal tension."

"But you don't anymore," Kim replied, and she was thrilled that over the past six weeks she and Pete had taken a few steps to build the beginnings of a relationship. "It might help close this unfortunate chapter in all of our lives."

"It might," Pete said doubtfully.

"Please," Kim asked sweetly. "For me."

"I can't believe you want to go on a double date," Pete said exasperated. "Oh what the hell. I'll talk to Kenny tomorrow, what's the worst that can happen?"

**141414141414**

Max held up a gift at her baby shower, and she had no idea what it was. Not wanting to appear stupid in front of all of these women, she smiled sweetly. "This is great, thanks a lot."

Carla leaned in and whispered. "You have no clue what that is."

Max shook her head, and shot her a desperate look for help.

"I know when I had my first child, a breast pump nearly saved my life," Carla announced. "I could just pump the stuff out, and store it for later."

"Here, open mine," Jill said handing a brightly wrapped box, and Max wished more then anything to be lying down in bed. She was happy to whine and cry with Kenny, but not in a room full of people, and it was supposed to be a party. Actually, she was just grateful that it hadn't decided to kick her some more.

"Thanks," Max replied, lifting the lid, and something that she recognized. "Oh, how cute. Thanks Jill."

Clothes, Max thought, that at least I know what to do with. A breast pump? She wasn't sure which end was which, and there was something that looked like a giant trash can that actually looked a little frightening to her.

"These are all great, really," Max said. "But do you all mind if I open the rest later?"

"Oh, but you haven't seen the diaper genie," Laurie exclaimed, handing her the scary looking plastic thing.

"Diaper genies? Is that something from a dysfunctional fairy tale?" Max asked, examining it. "Ah what do I do with it?"

"You put dirty diapers in it," Georgia replied.

"Oh," Max said, setting it down, and she wondered why she didn't just throw them outside.

"And look at this," Jill said. "Isn't this the sweetest bassinet?"

Oh god, Max thought, that isn't a gift basket. I'm going to be a terrible mother, why don't I know this stuff? Even Georgia does. She watched the other women marvel over all of the cute baby stuff, and Max just sat there in wonder at their expertise of all things' baby.

"Max? Are you all right?" Jill asked, noting her pale expression.

"I don't know anything," she blurted out. "All of this stuff . . . The only thing I know what to do with is the clothes and most of the toys, even though that thing with all the lights over there looks a little frightening. Breast pumps, bassinets . . . Can I throw up in my diaper genie?"

"It all comes with time," Jill said carefully, as the other women were still captivated with presents. "Believe me, it all may seem scary and new now, but you'll learn as you go. If you have any questions, you know I'm here."

Max looked at her doubtfully for a moment. "I know . . . Jill? Thank you, for everything. You know what? Your kids are lucky to have such a great Mom, and I hope that I can be half as good at this as you are."

"You will be," Jill replied softly, taken back at Max's compliment. "You ready to open some more of these?"

Max nodded, and the two of them went back to join the party.

**141414141414**

"So what is this exactly?" Kenny asked, holding up the breast pump.

"I'm supposed to use it to pump excess milk from my breasts," Max said. "But I'm not sure how it works exactly. Did you see the dirty diaper thing?"

"Why don't we put them outside?" Kenny asked, looking at the space age thing she was pointing at. "Won't they smell in here?"

"I'm not sure," Max replied. "At least most of these things came with directions."

He was glad to see relaxed, and wasn't entirely sure it was the best time to bring up his conversation with Pete.

"Well I'm glad you had fun," Kenny said, running his hand through her hair.

"How was work?" Max asked, realizing how much she missed it. She had four months maternity leave, then part time, and part of her wanted to live vicariously through Kenny at the moment.

"Same old," Kenny said vaguely.

"Same old? Did an elephant trample through the Christmas pageant again," Max asked with a grin.

"No," Kenny said pausing. "I talked to Pete today, and you know he and Kimberly have been dating?"

"I heard the rumor," Max replied, wondering where he was going with this.

"They want to double date with us," Kenny said.

"Are we in high school?" Max asked. "I haven't heard the expression double date since I was about 17. What did you say?"

"I didn't think he was serious," Kenny replied, glad she was taking this so well, better so then he did. "I think they were shooting for some closure, and I know how you feel about that."

"Me and my big mouth. I think I have closure on this, Kim and I had a nice talk while you were in the hospital," Max said thoughtfully.

"It's up to you."

"Thanks a lot," Max said sarcastically. "I really have no desire to go out with them, but."

"But what?" Kenny said, as she paused.

She looked up at him in amazement. "I think my water just broke."

**141414141414**

"I think he was doing his best to keep a straight face," Pete told Kim at the same time. "I'm not sure it's going to happen Kim."

"I don't blame them," Kim sighed. "I just wish everything could go back to the way it was before. I know my family looks at me differently, and I feel like I lost one of my best friends."

"You hurt a lot of people, we both did," Pete said softly. "And these things take time to heal honey. Just give everybody that, and be your wonderful self. They'll see."

"Thanks," Kim replied quietly. "You're great, you know that? Max doesn't know what she is missing."

"Yeah, well neither does Kenny," Pete said kissing her, and he had to wonder why he didn't notice this enticing young woman before. Wrapping his arms tightly around her, and she deepened their kiss. Feeling loved and at home in his arms, Kimberly felt like she had been given a second chance. Even if her family and friends didn't look at her the same way, she reasoned, she had Pete. And he accepted her, faults and all.

**141414141414**

"I thought the kicking hurt," Max gasped, as another contraction hit her at the hospital. "Oh shit. Why didn't anyone tell me it would be like this?"

"How far apart are they?" Jill asked.

"Five minutes," Kenny answered absently, as he watched Max grimace as she rode out the pain. Even with the babies he had delivered while on duty, it didn't prepare him for watching Max go through it. Somehow it was different with a stranger, and he longed to be able to do something that would make the pain stop for her.

"Okay, I'm going to take a look and see how far along you are," Jill continued. "Take deep breaths, and don't worry. Women have been doing this for years, and you're doing great."

Max nodded weakly as the contraction receded, and she collapsed back against the pillow. A few days ago she couldn't wait to get this thing out of her, and now that it was happening, she wasn't sure that she could handle it. She didn't know that it would hurt this much.

"Everything is proceeding nicely," Jill said. "I'm going to go check on a few things, and then I'll be back."

"You're just going to leave us here?" Max exclaimed. "Jill! I don't know what to do!"

Jill smiled indulgently. "You're going to lie here, and nothing is going to happen yet. Kenny's going to time the contractions, and I'll look at you again when I get back."

Max nodded weakly, and tired not to scream out when another contraction ripped through her.

"Hey, Max, honey. You're doing great, hang in there," Kenny said wiping the sweat off of her brow and smoothing her hair back. "Just breathe through it."

"Breathe," she gasped, clutching his hand. "You breathe damn it."

Kenny tried not to take it personally because he knew she was in pain. "This is the last step, Honey. You'll be able to see your feet again soon."

She shot him a humorless look. "I don't care."

Another contraction hit before he could respond, and she crushed his hand with her grip.

"Why are they coming so fast, so soon? Kenny," Max cried. "Oh, I just want it to stop."

"Uh that was only about a minute between those two," he said. "You want me to go find Jill?"

"Don't leave me here," she pleaded.

"Okay, okay," he responded. "You know what? After everything else that you've ever done and been through, this should be a walk in the park."

She glared at him. "Oh really? You want to switch places?"

Jill popped her head back in. "How is it going in here?"

"The last two were only a minute apart," Kenny replied.

"Well, I guess someone is eager to come out. We're going to get you down the birthing room," Jill said walking hurriedly back into the room.

**141414141414**

Jen Davis stood in her room at Cornerstone Mental Hospital, and watched with interest as a van from the prison arrived. She knew that they were coming in from therapy, and she watched them carefully for any of her past patients. Smiling to herself she wondered if any of them had hurt women before, and if they did Jen realized, she might have found a way to continue her work. Observing the group one more time, she saw a familiar face.

"It can't be," she gasped, and she squinted for a closer look. If it was who she though it was her stay here would be much more productive then she ever dreamed.

"I need to find a way to meet them," Jen mused, as the prisoners disappeared into the building.

**141414141414**

"You did this to me!" Max snapped at Kenny as a contraction hit.

"I didn't know," he said, in a weak attempt to defend himself. She's in labor, he kept reminding himself, just let it all go.

"On the next one you're going to push," Jill instructed. "Maxine, you're doing great. You're almost there. Ready? One, two, three, push."

Max pushed with everything she had in her, and Kenny couldn't believe what he was seeing. Trying to ignore the pain where she was squeezing his hand, he watched her as she put everything she had into this.

"Good," Jill said. "I can see the head."

Max nodded weakly, and looked up at Kenny desperately. "Max... this is amazing. You're amazing for doing this."

She closed her eyes briefly, and tried to take a brief rest before the inevitable next contraction.

"Kenny?"

He leaned closer to hear what she was saying, but Jill cut him off. "Get ready to push again, Max. A big one this time."

"What was I doing before?" she gasped, as she pushed.

"All right. One more," Jill encouraged her. "Just one more, and you'll be done."

"I love you," Kenny whispered to her. "Thank you for this."

Max just looked at him, and smiled slightly. Gripping his hand in hers she began the final push, and couldn't believe it when she heard the small cry of an infant.

"Oh, it's a boy," Jill announced, holding it up in the air and laying it on Max's stomach.

"Oh my god," she whispered staring at the slimy auburn haired thing lying on top her, and despite that Max thought it was the most incredible sight she had ever seen. "Oh my god."

Tearing her gaze away from the newborn, she turned to look at Kenny, and saw the same rapture on his face. Feeling incredibly contented, although exhausted, Max watched in wonder as they cleaned him up and cut the cord, until another contraction shot through her.

"Aren't these supposed to be over?" she cried, as Kenny looked at her in alarm. "What's happening?"

Leaving the newborn with the nurses, Jill rushed back over to take a look and couldn't believe she had missed this before. Sometimes sonograms don't show everything, she thought wryly.

"It looks like you're having another one," Jill said grinning. "Get ready to push again."

"Again? I can't do this again," Max begged. "Why didn't I know this before?"

Shooting a helpless look at Kenny, she began to push again and just wanted this second one out of her.

"Good, one more," Jill said, watching the monitors. "Now, go."

"Ahh," Max cried out, and heard a second cry pierce the air. Falling back against the pillows, she prayed that this was the end of it. She felt Kenny brush her soaked hair back from her face, and kiss her temple softly. Looking up bleary eyed at him, she could see that he was happier then she'd ever seen him.

"It's a girl," Jill announced, holding up the screaming, slimy dark haired baby. "Congratulations, and no one else is coming out. I just checked."

"Mmm," Max mumbled, as Jill handed her the boy. In wonder she just looked at him, and couldn't believe that he actually came out of her. He was beautiful she thought, and looks at all of that hair. Looking up at Kenny in amazement, as Jill handed them the girl, neither could believe that these creatures were theirs.

Kenny watched Max as she cradled the two before she passed them up to him. She's a natural he thought, and after all that she had just been through he was surprised that she still had the strength to hold them. As he held his children, Kenny knew he would never be able to repay her from this incredible gift she had just given him.

"I love you," he said simply, looking down at her.

"Love you too," she whispered, as the drowsiness began to take over.

Kenny watched her drift off to sleep, and handed back the babies to be cleaned up. Looking down at his sleeping wife and new born kids, he promised himself that he would take care of them and never let anyone hurt them.

**141414141414**

"Congratulations," Jimmy said, extending his hand out to Kenny as he came back out into the waiting room. "How does it feel?"

"I'm not sure yet," Kenny replied dazed. "It's all kind of new."

"So what was it?" Skeeter asked. "Boy or girl?"

"Both," Kenny said. "We didn't see that one coming. Two? We were worried about one."

"Twins," Carter exclaimed. "Twins!"

"How's Max doing?" Laurie interjected.

"She's exhausted."

"Any names yet?" Jimmy asked.

"Ah, they just came out," Kenny said, trying to come out of his haze. "We had some ideas, but we kind of want to get to know them a bit first."

"You look tired yourself," Skeeter said, knowing that after he had stayed up with Linda after she gave birth, he was exhausted. "You want to take a breather for a second?"

Kenny nodded gratefully, and collapsed onto the sofa. "How do women do that? She screamed a lot, but I still don't get it."

**141414141414**

Max looked around her empty hospital room after she woke up, and she smiled to herself. Looking down at her absent stomach, she realized that she could see her feet again too. Hearing voices in the hall, she reveled in her privacy for a moment. Max knew that very shortly she wouldn't have much more of it.

"God, I'm a mother," she whispered to herself, and the word felt odd in her mouth. Remembering those two slimy, but beautiful, things that came out of her brought a large grin to her face.

Feeling giddy, and more energized then she had in weeks, but she longed to just enjoy them with Kenny for a while.

"Hey there," he called from the doorway, breaking her out of her thoughts. "I didn't know if you'd be awake yet."

"It's been kind of a long day," she said hoarsely.

"You feel okay?"" he asked, remembering how much pain she was in while in labor. "You were kind of out there for a while."

Max grinned at him. "It's all better now."

"I know there are some people that want to say hi," Kenny replied, looking at his beautiful but exhausted looking wife. "There were a lot of people waiting outside for us."

"I guess someone made some phone calls," Max said quietly.

"Jill," Kenny confirmed. "They're gone now, I didn't think you'd be up to having visitors right now."

"I don't want any right now," Max said smiling shyly at him. "Just you, and I wouldn't mind meeting our kids."

"They're incredible Max," Kenny said softly. "I can't believe it."

"Knock, knock," Jill called from the doorway, wheeling in the cart. "I think there are some people here who want to meet you."

Max sat up slightly, as Jill wheeled them over. Just looking at them made her want to weep, and she didn't quite comprehend that they were actually hers. It just seemed surreal to her that she and Kenny had two children now.

"I'll leave you four alone," Jill whispered ducking out.

"I'm kind of afraid to touch them," Max said softly. "They're so tiny."

"Yeah," he agreed. "You want to give it a try anyway?"

She nodded, and he gently handed her the boy, and he picked up the little girl.

"This feels really weird," Kenny said quietly.

"I know," she replied. "But it also feels wonderful."

Smiling at each other, they just marveled in the perfection of it .

**141414141414**

Jen Davis read to paper the next morning and paused when she came to the birth announcements. Rage boiled up within her as she read of the birth of Joshua Andrew and Emily Amanda Lacos. How dare they be happy when I'm stuck in here, Jen raged to herself. Placing the paper back on the table, she eyed the man across the room. Moving slowly, so not to attract the attention of the nurses, she sat down across from him.

"I've been watching you," she said quietly. "I need to talk to you."

"Why?" he asked bluntly, glaring at the women in front of him.

"We have a mutual friend," Jen said lowly. "I'm Jennifer Davis."

"Danny Shreve," the man said. "A pleasure."

They lowered their heads together and Jen began to talk.


End file.
